Sincerely serving the Lord is one of the best ways to express our love for Him. But, it will not be always as easy; discouragement and disheartening will come along the way. We must be still and hold on to our faith.
Satan doesn't want us to be sincere in serving God; he will always find a way to discourage us. Certainly, with the absence of our faith, he can do that because he is the god of this world who blinded the minds of the people (see 2 Corinthians 4:4).
Inside the church, we must be vigilant, for the enemy will attack the church internally; do not be deceived. Satan will not hire an outsider to corrupt the minds of the congregation; instead, he will do an inside job, hiring someone from the inside.
That's why, in serving the Lord, we must have a deeply rooted faith and be clothed with godly wisdom. We must hinder the work of the devil by submitting ourselves to the will of God (see James 4:7-8).
We must always remember that everyone in the church can hurt us. Our pastor can hurt us, our closest churchmates can hurt us, and our intimate relationships can hurt us, but we must be still and hold on to our faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
For we come to church not because of people but because of Jesus. As Titus 2:13 said, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the Glorious appearing of our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ." Therefore look unto Christ and focus unto Him, not with your brethren.
Always remember, church, that when we are striving for something, we must have a focused mind. If you're striving for your salvation, focus on the one who promised it. Philippians 2:12 states, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
If we just look and are dependent on our brethren, the time will come when we will be fainted and discouraged. That's why, whatever will happen inside or between the church, the only way to resolve it is to involve Jesus Christ (see Matthew 18:20).
On the other hand, we must not also allow the devil to corrupt our own minds. We cannot treat others like garbage and serve God at the same time; it's hypocrisy. Nevertheless, we must promulgate the name of Jesus and His goodness, not our own accusations against our brethren.
If you're a preacher or a minister, practice what you preach. If you're a worker, act like one. Do not sell your principles just to put shame on others. People are looking up to you; be still in your principles, and do not let them be discouraged because of your actions. Be mindful and still, for you have the responsibility.
Do not let the works of the devil overcome our principles and covenant with Christ. When times get tough, when you feel weary when you feel discouraged, disheartened, or hurt by your sisters or brothers, just pray, forgive, and be still in the Lord (see Psalms 46:10).*
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Richard T. Caballero Jr. said he wrote this jotting to encourage the workers of the Lord's vineyard to be still in their covenant with God despite the adversities they may face.