“Whatever you do,
work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not
for people.” (Colossians 3:23)
What do you do with all your heart?
No matter what it is that we are doing; work or play,
fellowship or stewardship, entertaining or having quiet time, no matter how
ordinary, boring, or unimportant it may seem, we have to work at it
wholeheartedly. There are just some
things in life that we don’t get to choose, and situations that we simply can’t
control; some work we will like doing, but some won’t be as attractive. Nonetheless,
we should have a certain pride in the way we do things, because the true test
of our character is when we fulfill all of our responsibilities and commitments
with all our heart. What this means is…we must be genuine and sincere and give
it everything we have got!
“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you
guard, for out of it flows the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)
God does not accept grudging service from anyone; everything we do is an opportunity to
glorify God. But what about when we
are called to do something that we absolutely dread? Do we let out a loud sigh
and put on a fake smile, roll our eyes when no one is looking, and perform the
task with just enough effort to get us through it? How often do we live
complaining, murmuring, demanding, and only doing what is necessary to meet our
obligations? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to everyone if only we would
cheerfully perform any act of obedience wholeheartedly? God gives us everything
we need to have, and lots of things
we want to have, and yet we still
complain when we…
…are
called to serve in an area that is uncomfortable to us
…perform
a task that we feel is beneath us
…feel
that we don’t have the time or energy for another obligation
…or simply
dislike the assignment or situation…
…but If we only give or perform out of duty with a grumbling approach,
our heart attitude is all wrong!
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6)
With all our hearts we can do anything; even something we
are not really good or well equipped for. We should never let anything stop us
from reaching for higher goals and expectations, because if we put our heart
and our mind into everything we do, nothing can stop us. To be good at whatever
God has called us to do requires our faith and endurance to accomplish the
task. It doesn’t mean the absence of mistakes, but it means conviction and determination
with a faithful heart. So right or wrong, good or bad, every item on our agenda
should be done with joy, confidence, and a heart that is sincere and grateful.
Everything we think, everything we say, and everything we do, is to be
God-centered. Regardless of the task or circumstance, it becomes worship when
we dedicate it to God and perform it with an open and authentic heart, and we
should thank God for the gift of being a part of everything we do in life…the gift of making everything matter.
I love this excerpt from your post: "With all our hearts we can do anything; even something we are not really good or well equipped for. We should never let anything stop us from reaching for higher goals and expectations, because if we put our heart and our mind into everything we do, nothing can stop us." Yes, we can move mountains with a pure and faithful heart! Have a wonderful Sunday!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cynthia; I hope you have a blessed week!
DeleteI love your scripture art! Do you do it yourself? Thank you for sharing such a good word today.
ReplyDeleteHi Barbie,
DeleteNo; unfortunately I am not as talented as you my friend! Thankfully Pinterest is a big help and support-ha! Thanks for visiting my friend!
Good Morning Denise! What great words for a Monday (altho I know you posted yesterday). To be wholehearted is to be like the Lord, he never did anything half-way either. We are going through some things around here lately, and it's a good reminder to be wholehearted even in the bad times.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this today, and hope to put it into practice too.
Monday Blessings :)
Ceil
Something I remind myself of when things aren't rolling along as they (or I want them to) should!! A heart that shimmers and shines in all things! Blessings to you too Ceil!
DeleteDenise, the more my heart heals, the more I can give of it. Hugs my friend.
ReplyDeletePrayers for your healing heart Grace, and bunches of hugs sweet friend!
DeleteI love Col. 3:23 -- we have it as part of a drawing to inspire us in our dance ministry. May we honor & glorify Him in all we do! Beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteGod bless,
Laurie
Amen Laurie! Blessings and love to you sweet sister!
DeleteThis struck a chord with me, Denise. Not because I am serving in a way that is difficult...but because of a couple of situations that God is asking me to walk through. Will I walk through them with grace and faith and an obvious love of God? I pray that my faith in God is magnified while I walk this road so it is so obvious to everyone around me that it is from God that I receive my strength. I pray that He is glorified through my actions and that other's faith is encouraged.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Joan
I have no doubt that everyone sees the beauty and strength in your heart Joan; I am praying for your situation, and His blessings and strength to support you dear friend.
DeleteThank you, Denise. =)
DeleteHeart attitudes. I find it important to search my heart attitudes. To know I'm doing the right thing for the right reason. So much meat here, Denise.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pamela! In all we do, it is our heart attitude that is the most important! Blessings friend!
DeleteLoved this Denise. I keep the words from Colossians 3:23 hanging in my office as I need to remember daily that I'm working for Him and to glorify Him in everything I do. Great post!! Blessings to you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful reminder to focus on your heart attitude all day! :) Blessings to you too Beth! :)
ReplyDeleteWith all my heart Lord! Not half hearted, not grudgingly but willingly and cheerfully. Thank you so much Denise for this beautifully written post.
ReplyDeleteHi Ugochi; nice to see you here! Thanks so much for your visit! :) Blessings...
DeleteHi Denise,
ReplyDeleteI think about this scripture sometimes while I am doing a particular task that I really do not like...like cleaning out the dog enclosure, or scrubbing the toilet...It is so much easier to say I will do something with all my heart dedicated to the Lord when it is something that is more enjoyable like decorating the house, or baking a pie, or even weeding a garden...But it's more challenging when it is something that requires putting on special boots and holding your breath, lol!
~Blessings and love~ Lisa
You got my meaning of this post perfectly Lisa....regardless of what we are doing we have to do it with all heart!! It certainly can be a challenge! :)
DeleteLove your first print up there: "Wherever you go, leave a heart print." Yes, attitude is everything in every situation. If we want to do our work and our relationships as unto the Lord, we need to do them wholeheartedly. I see definite areas where I need to ask the Lord's help and grace to have His attitude within me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this great post, Denise.
Janis
Thanks Janis...there are areas in my life too where prayer is where I go to have my heart attitude in perfect harmony! Blessings friend!
Delete“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flows the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)
ReplyDelete“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
I have been praying for a while for my daughter's healing and for God to bless her with peace and hope ... October 13th is her birthday, the day of your lovely post. It touched my heart for many reasons, but mostly because the two Proverbs verses are very dear to me - I've kept them close and they have brought a lot of comfort to me for a few years now. Thank you!
Love and prayers for your daughter Cynthia, and a blessed happy birthday to her! You will be in my thoughts sweet friend!
Delete"With all our hearts we can do anything; even something we are not really good or well equipped for." That's a sermon all by itself, Denise!
ReplyDeleteI keep the Colossians 3:23 quote on a sticker in my office to remind me why, and for whom, I work. Thanks for the reminder.
Hi Alison; a reminder I keep handy at all times too! Blessings!
DeleteI loved this. Doing everything with all my heart. What a good reminder. Thanks so much
ReplyDeleteBeautifully put. So grateful this is slowly starting to come to fruition in my life, still have a long way to go.
ReplyDelete