Work and Results

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.  Thomas Edison 

With few exceptions (none that I can think of but I'm just covering my bases), anybody that accomplishes anything does so because they work. The brilliant men of the past like da Vinci and Einstein probably worked more in a few years than most modern people will in a lifetime!

God loves work. And he loves work done right. Just read Proverbs 6:6-11 for starters. God wants us to do our work on our own motivation, no boss. Sometimes we act like we are supposed to do as little as possible but that was never what God intended. He wants us to do something with our lives; work is discussed over and over in the Bible. The Bible even states that Jesus did so much (work!) that the world couldn't contain the record of all of it if it were written. (John 21:25)

We can do far more than we realize if we are willing to work hard. It's easy to be jealous of what others have without realizing they have worked for it. I don't just have a clean house. I have a clean house because I do the work to have a clean house. Now I have removed most of the mental work from cleaning by having a schedule but I still have to do the physical work. I have to get up, get my supplies, and scrub.

I'm not just learning the Bible. I'm learning the Bible because I'm working at learning the Bible. Do you want to know what the Bible says and how it applies to you? Good! But God's not just going to zap the information into you because it's a good request. You have to read and study and listen. For years. Just keep doing those things and you'll be learning the Bible. 

I have fun and (for the most part) obedient children. But it's not because I'm lucky. I work at that. A lot! If you want the results you must do the work. There are no exceptions to this.

Sometimes work is called something else, like practice or training.

Want to learn to play the piano? Practice and practice some more.
Want to be a better cook? Get in there and cook. 
Want to learn a foreign language? Practice. Read. Study. Exercise your skills.
Want to run a 5K? Run. Train.

Arm yourself with God's view of work. I want to bring all of my views in line with the Bible because that's the way to success in life (Joshua 1:8).  And it's going to involve some work.