Worthy Endeavor
This message consists of several maxims that highlight a life lived in the pursuit of a worthy endeavor.
Worthy Endeavor: Life is meant to live rather than just exist. Mankind needs purpose and aim, but today many suffer without true direction and only exist rather than live. If a person cannot remember what they worked towards in the last six months, they are only existing and not living. This is not to identify a person who doesn’t remember where they worked, but rather, what they were working towards and if it was worth it. Do you remember the last six months? Can you say with certainty that you started or completed something worthy or memorable? Or is it a fog of everything feeling the same day after day? If it’s a fog, you need to awaken to the possibility that there is more to life than the monotony of an indefinable purpose. “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” — 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Life is a race and the finish line is coming fast. You need aim and purpose, for in the end, every man will give an account of what they have done. “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” — 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. One of the greatest tricks the world and the devil will play on you is enticing you into a pursuit of meaningless endeavors. It will push and pull you towards a life that slips away faster than grains of sand through your hand. It will leave you unfulfilled and with regret, so take stock of your life now and examine yourself. Life is meant to be lived, not only to exist.
God With Us: When you set yourself to the worthy endeavor you need to be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove. This means, don’t be naive and conduct yourself in a good manner. Unfortunately, many Christians go through life in a pseudo-spiritual (It’s up to God) attitude rather than practicing any wisdom or setting one’s self to accomplishing a goal. This type of behavior tends to alleviate any guilt of inaction (because it’s not up to that person, but rather whenever God acts) while also displaying extreme self-righteousness (because they alone are able to hear His voice and wait). Christians who live life this way interpret faith as: the ability to do nothing and wait for God to provide it all. This might sound righteous, but in reality it’s just laziness. If you want to stand by and proclaim you are “waiting on God” or “seeking God’s timing” then, very likely, you are using self-righteous cliches to vindicate your inaction. Rather, true people of faith act upon the Word and their convictions while working tremendously hard to see it through. They do this all the while knowing God is with them and helping them towards the ultimate goal. Even when they face hardships and things look bleak they keep running forward, they keep fighting onward because they have a sincere faith that God will get them over any obstacle. They stand upon the Word that says, If God be for us, who can be against us (Rom. 8:31). They are not weak, but strong in the Lord and the power of His might.
Hardships and Complaints: Just because you are striving in a worthy endeavor doesn’t mean life will be blissful every day. There are numerous challenges and extreme hardships you will have to face, but those difficulties only make it that much sweeter when you accomplish the task at hand. Moreover, one must not lean on the old complaints of “I don’t know how to do it” or “I don’t have the time.” The years of your life are at your own disposal, so if you complain of a “lack of time” you are only complaining of how you refuse to budget it for your worthy endeavor. Equally, if you bemoan your lack of knowledge in a day and age when practically anything can be learned with access to a computer you are only looking for an excuse to quit. Beware of the desire to disqualify yourself and exit your worthy endeavor, for in escaping, you will run back to a life where every day is the same and the fog of indefinable purpose becomes your home.
Stubbornness vs Faith: These are often confused. If you encounter a person who is stubborn, they usually lack the ability to listen to anyone or learn from their mistakes. Whereas people who have sincere faith are very clever and know how to deal with problems. The stubborn person will find it difficult to accomplish a worthy endeavor because they will always fight through the hardest path, ignoring all wisdom and listening to no one, not even God (even though it is God whom they are claiming to hear directions from). In contrast, a person of faith takes a fluid approach and knows how to move towards the ultimate goal rather than waste time justifying their own pride or bad decisions. The person of faith humbly learns from their mistakes and makes adjustments for the next time they face similar challenges. They are not bullheaded or prideful, but wise and gentle and always trusting they will accomplish the worthy endeavor with God leading them every step of the way.
Sincerity: The pursuit of your worthy endeavor in life must be out of sincerity. If it is embarked upon for the silliness of fame or to please other people you have already fallen short. Sincerity keeps the fire burning because it is born in your spirit and is internal rather than external. People seeing a sincere person of faith either love them or hate them. So realize, many will try to stomp out your sincere beliefs and tread all over them. Guard them and protect them. If your sincerity is based on the Word and your conscience is clean towards God your worthy endeavor will yield a great treasure — and that treasure is the knowledge of a life well lived.
In Him,
Tim and Will