1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

What a GREAT verse!  In the Lord, our labor is not in vain.  Boy, did I need to hear that or what.  What a POWERFUL encouragement, especially when we feel our work is small and has little positive effect!  It is great to know that "in him," our labor is never in vain.

But, there is kind of a caveat to this.  We need to be steadfast, immovable and constantly abounding in His work.  

Now a lot of us will balk at the, "in the work of the Lord."  We will think that this verse applies only to those "professionals" who serve in some fulltime ministry.  As a great friend of mine would say, "That is a lie right out of the pit of hell!"  We have to get away from this incredibly narrow view of what is His work. 

A Christian mother and wife is engaged in His work as she cares for her family.  She does not have to ever leave the home to be in fulltime service.  Everything she does is, "in the Lord," and hence, it is His work.  As children obey and respect their parents they are engaged in His work.  As husbands and fathers labor to provide subsistence  for their families, they are engaged in His work.

Anything we do, "in the Lord," is His work and is NEVER in vain!

But we do have to be steadfast (keep on keeping on), immovable (bloom where you are planted) and abounding (what your hand finds to do, do)!

We also need to examine ourselves and our labor to be confident that we are doing it. "In Him."  Sure, you'll find a lot of messy mixed motives as you examine this but you look for the light not the shadows.  Whatever you find in the mix, if love for Christ is there, you are good to go.  You're gonna find a lot of your own stuff mixed in there.  Do not let it stop you or hinder you in any way.  He is in the business of refining us and all we do do. Don't sweat it, do it and do it for Him.

Now, notice I don't say do it perfectly.  You're not gonna.  Not gonna happen. You're gonna move forward in fits and starts, ups and downs, homeruns and foul balls.  But you gotta be doing it for Him to be refining it.  Sure, perfection is a great and worthy goal.  We aim at it, constantly secure in the knowledge that wherever we fall short, He covers the shortfall.

A great lesson concerning our labor is found here; 

1 Corinthians 3:6-7, 9 ESV

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. [7] So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. [9] For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

Oh, dear ones, if we would only carve that on our consciences!  We always tend to take on that which is not ours to fulfill!  None of our labors in Him can ever be in vain when the conclusion of the effort is in His hands!

WE ARE ALL God's fellow workers, right where He has us doing what He has given us to do.  Whatever a believer does should be considered fulltime service.  That includes both our labor and our leisure.   We are His fulltime, therefore what we do should be His fulltime!

Dear ones, stay steadfast.  Be immovable.  Abound in what He has given you to do.  AND relax and rejoice in the fact that He is the period on all the senteces our lives write.  NOTHING you do in Him is EVER in vain!

Even more....2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Even more.......

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. [5] For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

There is a "Why" to the comfort we receive from God and if there is a "Why" for that comfort there is a "Why" for the affliction as well.  First, we have to understand and accept that as Jesus said, we will have tribulation in this world.  It is a fallen, broken world, a far cry from what God intended.  It is a sin ravaged world, warped and twisted, full of sorrow and woe.  Until He returns ( Please God let it be soon!).  We will suffer travesty and affliction.  But affliction is not without purpose.

First, affliction proclaims the creation's brokenness, man's fallenness and the desperate need for a redeemer.  It isn't how it should be!  It must be righted but only God in Christ can right it.  Second, afflictions are intended to demonstrate man's individual and collective need to be dependent upon God.  Third, afflictions demonstrate God's mercy as He brings comfort in or resolution to our afflictions.  Fourth, afflictions are intended to draw us to the only source of purpose and comfort.

Like afflictions, comfort has a purpose that is beyond simply easing our discomfort.  The comfort we receive from God is intended to be passed to others in need, others suffering from affliction.  It is a mercy that is to be extended beyond the recipient to the next person.  It is to be shared abroad to His glory and honor.

Now for an aside.  For over 20 years I have had the privilege of serving, "the least of these."  From the homeless to the addicted to the mentally ill, God has allowed me to serve these oh so special men and women.  Why?  Simply put, because there is typically no ministry to them within the local church.  Right doctrine and a correct worship style are important and good but if there is no ministry to the broken and hurting then the church is failing to fulfill her whole warrant.  There is little, if any true pastoral ministry in most churches today.  By "pastoral" in this context I mean Christ centered, Bible based, "out of the pulpit and on the front lines," ministry.  I refer to the warrant to the church:

1 Thessalonians 5:14 ESV
And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

That is not pulpit work, that is people work.  That is the work of passing on that comfort with which God comforts us.

Enough of that "bunny trail."

You should understand that in this verse it does not refer to how God "got us through" the affliction but rather how God is comforting us "IN" our dynamic, on going, current affliction.  We are comforted in the affliction we suffer NOW so we may comfort others in the affliction they suffer NOW!  In this verse it is not about the affliction God resolved but it is about the affliction in my life that is unresolved in which God is comforting me.  It is not, "I once went through that and God ......." but rather, "I am suffering X and God is comforting my by Y."

 Certainly we can offer the comfort we received during an affliction that God has since resolved, but we are to be offering comfort even while we undergo an unresolved affliction.  This is a dynamic, in the midst of the affliction offer of the comfort we are receiving!

It is getting out there in the midst of the pain and connecting with a brother or sister in Christ who is dealing with some affliction and connecting with them to share the comfort we are experiencing.  It is not giving some testimony of a deliverance, but a testimony to active comfort in an active affliction.

But alas, we are taught in most local churches to not do this, to keep our afflictions (and comfort) to ourselves.  We are not to disturb the nice neat order with our messy afflictions.  Instead, we are typically sent out into the wilderness to find our own comfort, admonishment, encouragement,  and help.

Pray brothers and sisters and pray hard that God will correct this short-fall in His churches.  Are you in some affliction and are you receiving comfort from our loving God?  Then pray that He will connect you with someone who needs you to share that comfort.  Are you suffering some affliction?  Then pray God will send someone in affliction who has God's comfort to share.