Stand Firm

(Taken from "The Experience Day-by-Day with God" Devotional by Henry & Richard Blackaby)

"Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

1 Corinthians 15:58

Whenever you sin, Satan is pleased. When you are lazy and waste your time, Satan is content. But when you commit yourself to do the work of the Lord, Satan is vehemently opposed to you. It may surprise you to discover that life becomes most difficult when you are trying to do the right thing. When you make a commitment to obey what God is asking you to do, you might come up against a lot of opposition. Perhaps it will come from your friends, or maybe your finances will give you a challenge. Maybe your parents will try to discourage you from obeying what God is telling you to do. Whatever it is, you will be tempted to ask, "Why me? I'm just trying to do what God told me to do!"

Paul has two things to say to you; the first is a word of advice and the second, a note of encouragement. First, he urges you to stand firm. Paul, of all people, knew that serving God isn't always easy. Satan will try to sabotage your efforts. Those around you may not understand what you are doing. But Paul advises you not to hold back. Obey your Lord with everything you've got, because there are eternal consequences at stake. Second, when you stay faithful to your commitment, your efforts are never in vain. Don't get frustrated and give up. When you are obeying God, victory is a given.

If you are facing some difficult times because of your desire to obey God, rest assured, your efforts are not wasted. God sees your heart, and he will give you the victory (Romans 8:37).