Do it for the Lord!

Colossians 3:23-24 (AMPC) “Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The one whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah).”

This is where a lot of people get tripped up. When they serve in the Body of Christ, they do it for the people and not for the Lord. When we do things just for the people, if the people are not grateful, if they don’t thank us regularly, if they aren’t super sweet to us, then we will grow weary, even angry, and quit. When people in church are only doing it for a Pastor or a leader, or because there is a need, or because they were pressured, then eventually they will quit. The only way to last in serving people is to do it because we want to serve the Lord. Everything we do, we should do it for Him, and since it is for Him, it will be by Him.

What I’m saying is, when it’s for Him, the serving grace, the power to serve, will come upon you and remain, and that grace, which is by Him, will sustain you at all times. It will cause you to be strengthened and not drained as you serve. I also believe, because we don’t have two lives, this serving grace will stay on you and affect what you do the rest of your week. Part of setting your affections on the Lord and not on the things of this world (Colossians 3:1) is serving the Lord. It seems to me that serving the Lord, by serving others, also helps to bring our flesh under control and to put on the love of God. It is amazing how all the Word of God works together to help us to be the best us in Christ Jesus we can possibly be.