The Faithful and The Fruitful预览

As we’ve seen over the past few days, trusting is the difficult yet simple act of recognizing that we are not responsible for producing results through our work—God is. 

Once we understand that, it is certainly right to “hustle,” to, as the Apostle Paul said, “strenuously contend with all the energy” we have for the glory of God and the good of others (see Colossians 1:29).

The tension between trusting and hustling isn’t meant to be resolved. It is meant to be embraced. How do you know if you are embracing that tension well? I’d argue that the best indicator is whether or not you can rest.

Are you unwilling to close your laptop or stop checking email late into the night? Are you unable to sleep because your mind is trying to solve problems that await you at work in the morning? Are you resistant to the idea of taking a day or a few hours to Sabbath and simply enjoy the Lord and his good gifts?

If you answered “yes” to any of those questions (and let’s face it, who hasn’t?), then that may be an indication that you have fallen for the lie that you are producing results in your work.

If that’s you, take a moment to remember Jesus’s words in Matthew 11:30: Through him, our “burden is light.” That doesn’t mean our work isn’t hard! So long as we live in a fallen world, “thorns and thistles” will ensure our work will be arduous. But the burden on our souls will be light if our hustle and hard work is accompanied by an even greater disposition of trust in the Lord’s provision.

But let’s face it: On the trust/hustle spectrum, most of us overcompensate towards hustling. If that’s you, how practically can you hustle less and trust more? Let me suggest three things.

First, regularly immerse yourself in the Scriptures we’ve explored throughout this plan.

Second, take a minute right now to pray to the Lord and recognize that you are powerless to produce results in your own strength.

And finally, rest. Shut your laptop down. Put your phone to bed before you hit the sack. Practice Sabbath for an hour or a day this week. Experience the lightening of the burden Jesus promised you.

At the end of the day, rest is the best way I know how to remind myself of the truth we’ve explored throughout this devotional: Our job is faithfulness. God’s job is fruitfulness.

Be faithful in your work today. Do it well. Do it “with all your heart, as working for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). And then rest knowing that the results aren’t in your hands. They are in the hands of Almighty God who knows which results are best for you and his glory.

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