Friday, April 22 – 1 Corinthians 15:56-58
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
The term “dead-end job” is one you have probably either heard or known through experience. It is used to describe a job without any path for advancement. These jobs are difficult because they often feel purposeless. When it feels like there is no purpose, it is hard to stay motivated, and when it’s hard to stay motivated, it is easy to get distracted or burnt out.
Likewise, in our faith there are times that it seems like our efforts are pointless. We volunteer in a thankless role; we see our culture shifting away from the things we value; we share the gospel and get turned down. Moments like these may make us feel like we are in a “dead-end job” of faith. It may tempt us to ask, “What is the point?” If you have ever felt this way, be encouraged by the verses today! We have victory through Jesus Christ. Tony Evans says, “You are not fighting for victory—you are fighting from victory. This battle has already been won!”[1] We can be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord because He has paved the path before us. Fighting from victory reminds us that the victory we have is not a result of our strength or works but of Jesus. When our purpose is in Him, we can serve a stranger, love our enemy, and encourage one another, confident that these moments are valuable in the kingdom of God, whether we feel like it or not.
- When have you felt defeated when trying to serve God?
- What might be distracting you right now from the hope of the gospel?
- Pray and ask God to reveal the things that are distracting you or holding you back from being strong and immovable in gospel service.
[1] Evans, Tony [@drtonyevans]. “You are NOT fighting for victory, you are fighting FROM victory. The battle has already been won. #trust and #obey.” Twitter, February 19, 2017, https://twitter.com/drtonyevans/status/833391966629064704.
