Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
I remember when I transitioned from being a youth pastor to a hospital chaplain. Here I was, transitioning from the pulpit to the bedside, and I'm excited to serve my patients. I had three different floors that I was in charge of at the hospital that I worked at. I remember pouring my heart into these patients, doing my best to take care of them.
Over time, I grew very weary and very tired. In fact, I started to wonder, do people notice my hard work? I started to wonder if God even noticed my hard work.
God Sees Your Effort
If you've ever poured into people and you haven't gotten anything in return, or you've wondered if people have seen your effort, I love this scripture because it says God will not forget how hard you have worked for Him. It's this beautiful reminder that God sees us. God sees our effort.
Even when you and I go that extra mile and we're like, okay, does anybody see what I'm doing? God does see when we go that extra mile. In fact, later in the verse it says how, you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers. When we care for other people, we're actually showing our love for God.
Serving for an Audience of One
One of the things that's really helped me in those seasons where I wondered if people have noticed my effort or if God has noticed what I'm doing, is remembering that I serve for an audience of one. The Bible says to do everything unto the Lord. When I'm going that extra mile, I'm serving unto the Lord. I'm doing it to please and to glorify God.
There's going to be seasons where God is going to place you in specific jobs, situations where you're like, why in the world am I here? I remember being in a job where I thought, these are not my skill sets. Lord, why did You even put me here? Here's what I learned: None of those seasons were wasted. In fact, the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 8 verse 28, and we know that in all things—so for the believer, in all things, no matter what we go through—nothing is wasted. God works everything for our good.
A Harvest is Coming
Maybe you're in a place right now where you feel like nobody's noticing you. You’re tired. You’re weary. Let me encourage you with Galatians chapter 6 verse 9. It says, Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don't give up.
A harvest is coming. Not only does God see us, but He's going to reward us for our work. Stay faithful in what God has you in and just know this: your season is not wasted.
