Theres a common thought that,“If something is worth doing it is going to take hard work and it’s going to be difficult”.
Now I’m all for doing our best and putting in a full effort. God says He blesses the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17) However God doesn’t want our efforts and work to be toil. The definition of toil is “extremely hard and incessant work. To work one’s fingers to the bone; to work like a Trojan. To struggle with difficulty, to trudge, slog and knock oneself out; t to work one’s guts out. To toil means not to rest or relax.”
Doesn’t sound that great does it? But how many of us actually expect that if something is worth doing, it’s going to be difficult? How many have spent far too much toiling and relying on themselves and what they can do and achieve, and not enough time relying on God and allowing Him to lead and guide? For when He leads we are able to achieve our goals and the load is ‘lighter and easier”, because the toil goes out of our work.
The world constantly tries to dictate to us how we should live and what it takes to be successful. Being a wife and mother with six children, homeschooling, plus pastoring I have learnt, and often the hard way that it’s very easy to take on the world’s concept of success, bow under expectations and the worlds way to do things. When in actual fact God doesn’t expect half of what we put ourselves through or is He very impressed by all our toiling. God’s word doesnt teach us to toil, that’s part of the curse that Jesus dealt with, but it does teach how to live freely and lightly.
Jesus said, “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.” (Matt 11:28-30 TPT)
That’s why regular reading and study of the Bible and time in Gods presence is like a breath of fresh air. We gain heavenly perspective and protection from false teaching, unrealistic expectations, and a skewed worldview. The Bible gives us the measuring stick by which we can distinguish truth from error. It tells us what God is like. For to have a wrong impression of God can cause us to come under rules, unhealthy mindsets, striving, toil and “religion”.
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)
The Bible teaches us how to live, leads us to really know God and have loving, fulfilling relationships, experience heaven and live “toil free”. It tells us how much God loves us, and how much He is for us and not against us, and to have dreams because God desires to help us fulfil them. (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:1-10; Ephesians 3:20).
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32)
Today, shake off the toil and the thought that everything has to be hard. God wants there to be ease in your day. Let His word be your measuring stick and not the world or anyone else’s expectations of what and who you are, or how you go about things. Today let Him lighten your load as He gives you wisdom on how to live a better way, free from toil.
Prayer: Lord thank you for your word that brings revelation and truth where perhaps I have been carrying loads and mindsets I didn’t need to. Help me to understand that you want my life and work to be light and easy because you broke the curse of toil. In Jesus Name Amen