Laboring for Nothing

Isaiah 49:4 is an interesting scripture that says, “But I said, ‘I’ve toiled in vain. I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity, yet surely the justice that is due me is with the Lord and my reward is with my God.’”

 God knows us like no one else can. Isaiah 49:5 says: “And now says the Lord who formed me from the womb to be His servant…” So, therefore, God made us from the womb, and I’d like to ask you how you fill the four words: “to be His servant”? 

Take an honest look at your life. Can you really say you serve God as He created you from the womb to do? Look back at verse 4. It tells anyone who doesn’t want to serve God’s plans where their labor gets them. 

Again, I’ve toiled in vain for nothing and vanity. That is what’s happening daily with millions of people building, achieving or just working to survive- and all of it will be for nothing in the end unless they’ve done it for Christ.

Only the things done as a servant of your creator will ever be weighed in the end. In the beginning, we were created to serve His purposes no matter the place we are in. It isn’t important if we have a lot or little, if we have much talent or little, if we are successful or a failure.  What matters is the reason and the condition of our heart that motivates our actions.

Are we known as a person who serves the Lord or one who is self serving? Are we set on having our own way, making a big splash, or are we continually moving closer and closer to God and His ways?