All the Hard Work Makes it Look Easy
Blog / Produced by The High Calling
We all admire effortless excellence: when musicians, for example, deliver seemingly limitless variations on a familiar song or visual artists show us the same object in new and different ways. But artistic brilliance seldom occurs absent of effort. Behind shining creativity are years of practice and study.
The apostle Paul wrote: "Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him" (Phil. 2:12-13 NLT).
Paul understood the paradox of Christian living: God expects our complete surrender and commitment. At the same time, He supplies all the strength we need through the Holy Spirit. The Bible is clear that following Jesus isn't easy. But it is worth the trouble, and it is deeply satisfying in a way that the easier paths never could be.
Many Christians I know grow discouraged thinking that their lives and witness fail to measure up to the celebrities they hear about. A man who attends our church told me recently, "I'd really like to do more for God and the church, but I'm not sure if it would be good enough." The thought of investing more time and effort for God brought him down. How many Christians hold back on their unique contributions to God's kingdom for fear that they will suffer by comparison to someone else?
Our yardstick isn’t made of other Christians but our individual callings in Christ. In John 21, we read: "Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them . . . Peter asked Jesus, 'What about him, Lord?' Jesus replied, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You follow me' (John 21:20-22 NLT). Jesus doesn't let us sit it out just because we think someone else can do it better. He calls each one of us to follow Him and use the unique gifts He's given to us.
The British sculptor Henry Moore once told an interviewer, "The secret of life is to have a task, something you do your entire life, something you bring everything to, every minute of the day for your whole life. And the most important thing is: It must be something you cannot possibly do." The high calling takes us down the hard road. But we are not alone. Jesus said, "Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" Matt. 28:20 (NLT).
The apostle Paul wrote: "Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him" (Phil. 2:12-13 NLT).
Paul understood the paradox of Christian living: God expects our complete surrender and commitment. At the same time, He supplies all the strength we need through the Holy Spirit. The Bible is clear that following Jesus isn't easy. But it is worth the trouble, and it is deeply satisfying in a way that the easier paths never could be.
Many Christians I know grow discouraged thinking that their lives and witness fail to measure up to the celebrities they hear about. A man who attends our church told me recently, "I'd really like to do more for God and the church, but I'm not sure if it would be good enough." The thought of investing more time and effort for God brought him down. How many Christians hold back on their unique contributions to God's kingdom for fear that they will suffer by comparison to someone else?
Our yardstick isn’t made of other Christians but our individual callings in Christ. In John 21, we read: "Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them . . . Peter asked Jesus, 'What about him, Lord?' Jesus replied, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You follow me' (John 21:20-22 NLT). Jesus doesn't let us sit it out just because we think someone else can do it better. He calls each one of us to follow Him and use the unique gifts He's given to us.
The British sculptor Henry Moore once told an interviewer, "The secret of life is to have a task, something you do your entire life, something you bring everything to, every minute of the day for your whole life. And the most important thing is: It must be something you cannot possibly do." The high calling takes us down the hard road. But we are not alone. Jesus said, "Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" Matt. 28:20 (NLT).
Do you find it challenging to be a Christian in a competitive workplace? Discover how to enjoy a successful career without sacrificing your soul! Encouraging you to hold firm to your faith in win-at-all-costs corporate environments, Tim Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf help you carry your beliefs from church to job, stay true to your values, make God-honoring choices, and more.