Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

– Colossians 3:23-24

So often in life we react and all too often, it is in an impulse way. Let’s face it, life throws a lot at us in rapid order and sometimes we feel like there is no time to think about it. So we react. Yet many times, if we are being honest with ourselves, we do have the ability to think things through, to ponder upon our response, our choices and their potential outcomes. Even if it’s only for a few minutes. 

The results when we leap before we look are unpredictable and uncertain. Unfortunately for many today, this has become a way of life. Simply reacting, bouncing from one questionable act to the next, driven by an emotional response that undoubtedly digs the hole a few feet deeper. 

Inherently we then wonder how we have come to such a place as the dilemma stares back at us. It is easy in these times to become a victim of circumstance. But are we really? Or did we react when we should have reflected?

Is this really how we are meant to be living our life? Is this how God created us to be? And how does this reconcile the abundant life Jesus talks about having in our life?

Becoming a follower of Christ does not mean putting your brain on auto pilot. It’s actually quite the opposite. We are told to take every thought captive. That’s our part. Submitting our thoughts to Christ opens us up to the availability of the Holy Spirit. This is not only in the hard times and the times of temptation, but in every choice and decision we are faced with.

When our choices and our decisions are guided by the Holy Spirit, everything we do, we do with the Lord in mind. Though Colossians 3:23 and 24 can seem like a daunting task, this yielding does in fact allow us to do whatever we do, heartily, as we are working for the Lord and not for men or ourselves. Liberation comes within the Lordship of Christ, destroying the captive bonds of this world. 

There is an old adage that in principle may make some sense, but in practice application falls apart quickly in our day and age. When we face a difficult situation or task, we say, it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. 

If we were to actually look for a needle in a haystack, that’s just not a good strategy. It’s a waste of time and effort. In our lives, we are each given a certain amount of time and ability on this earth. As believers, we are to steward all resources given to us by God. This includes our time and effort. 

To be a good steward takes deep insight and constant evaluation, not simple reaction. In the presence of the Holy Spirit, we begin to recognize His wisdom and discernment as it pertains to our stewardship.

One of the most difficult challenges we face in our life is evaluating our own effectiveness for the Kingdom. When presented with those God given opportunities, if we are not sensitive to the Holy Spirit, we can simply react and miss them. We justify away why the opportunity is not important or relevant because we have not taken the time to think about the potential impact in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

It’s hard to overcome our propensity to react because the need for change is always a looming reality. However, until we get to this point, we will continue to suffer with living out Colossians 3:23 and 24.