A Decision Only You Can Make

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24

Paul’s words in these verses are so practical we may gloss over their radical nature. Serving Christ isn’t just about obvious spiritual matters. There is no corner of our lives empty of opportunities to serve Him, no matter how menial or seemingly inconsequential the task He places before us.

In fact, other than your decision to believe in Jesus Christ, the choice to serve Him will be more formative in your spiritual life than any other decision.

Consider the way we’re to work. The word heartily doesn’t mean frantically. It refers to an all-in attitude. It also anticipates the joy we can experience when we discover God has actually wired and gifted us for certain tasks we can do wholeheartedly for Him.

And the commitment to serve heartily requires you to be in God’s Word. You cannot afford to wander away for days or weeks. Time in Scripture is like a briefing for the days’ activities in the place the Lord has called you.

Serving Christ also tethers your heart to the Cross. People are counting on you to be a faithful servant, whether they realize it or not. You have an awe-inspiring privilege to work in Christ’s kingdom. If you open your heart to this, you will begin to see an incredible array of service opportunities set before you each day.

As you begin to take steps of service, you will quickly find it isn’t a lighthearted and carefree parade. There will be times of intense joy, deep camaraderie, and great fun—but also times when fatigue and discouragement are part of the experience. Humbling yourself and serving is tough, and it’s easy to want to throw in the towel when things don’t go as planned.

Colossians 3:24 is key, “You are serving the Lord Christ.” Especially when we get discouraged, we can rest in the truth that our lives and what we do aren’t about us, they’re about serving the Lord.

Now some will consider this choice to serve but do nothing. They’ll feel the tug of possibility, the longing that could lead to great things, but think, Not for me, that sounds too much like work. What a tragic waste of opportunity. Don’t be like that.

Do you want a life guided by the Lord, encouraged by His blessings, and marked by a sense of purpose? Choose to serve. If you ask anyone fully engaged in ministry for their story, you will find this connection is true: “If you want to be great,” Jesus said, “you must be the servant of all.” (Matthew 20:26 NKJV) The life you were designed to experience begins with the decision only you can make: I choose to serve Jesus Christ

Reprinted with permission from Our Journey, copyright 2014 by James MacDonald. All rights reserved. Further distribution is prohibited without written permission from Walk in the Word. James is the Founding and Senior Pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadow, IL and the Bible teacher of the Walk in the Word radio program.