Your Labor Is Not in Vain

There are plenty of days when following Jesus feels costly. You pray and nothing seems to change. You serve and no one notices. You fight the same battles with sin and wonder if you’ll ever get free. You forgive, give, show up—and it can feel like you’re pouring yourself out into a bottomless pit.

That’s why Paul’s final words in 1 Corinthians 15:58 matter so much:

“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.”

The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. It means your everyday faithfulness carries eternal weight.

Nothing done for Him is wasted.

So what does that look like in real life?

Don’t quit praying. Even if you’ve been asking for years without visible change, keep praying. Resurrection hope says God hears and answers in His perfect timing.

Keep showing up. Maybe you’re teaching kids, caring for the elderly, or setting up chairs week after week. It may feel hidden or thankless, but God sees. And He rewards.

Fight sin like eternity is real. Say “no” to whatever drags you down. Not because you’re trying to earn heaven, but because you already belong to the risen Christ.

Encourage someone today. A text, a handwritten note, a simple word in Jesus’ name—resurrection hope says even the smallest act of love echoes into forever.

Don’t give up when it’s hard. Parenting, forgiving, serving, giving—it’s exhausting sometimes. But resurrection hope promises this: your weakness isn’t the end of the story. Strength is coming.

Here’s the bottom line: if Christ didn’t rise, none of this matters. But because He did rise, everything done for Him matters. Not one prayer, not one sacrifice, not one act of obedience will ever be wasted.

So, FBC family, hear this call: Stand firm. Stay steady. Keep serving. Keep loving. Keep praying. One day—in the blink of an eye—you’ll see that it was all worth it.
Because Jesus walked out of the grave, your labor in the Lord is not in vain.