Throughout my ministry, some things have gone well, others not so well. I have had some successes, some defeats, some joys and some sorrows. I have made some good decisions and some bad ones. But through it all, I want God to know that I have been faithful. God does not take lightly the faithfulness of His people. Many of us give up on God because of something that did not go our way; we become disappointed and quit. Nevertheless, the race is not given to the swift or to the strong, but to those who endure to the end (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Serving the Lord is not easy, but the blessings outweigh the burden of the task. The power behind us is greater than the task before us. We must be obedient to do what God has called us to do. In Colossians 3:23, we find these words:

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture because there is so much truth wrapped in this verse. Whatever we do ought to be done to the glory of God and not for personal accolades. Paul makes it clear that there is a sense of obedience and self-sacrifice that we accept in serving the Master. It is something that we do voluntarily, seeing it as an honor when the Lord uses us. Paul recognized the favor that the Lord bestowed upon him. He stressed the need to serve the Lord faithfully with heart, soul and mind. Let me conclude with a challenge: each of us should take an inventory of our walk with God. Ask those who serve with you how you are doing. Most importantly, ask God if you are serving Him according to Colossians 3:23.