From Labor to Joy
It’s camp season! We’ve been working hard for weeks in preparation for our camps, and they’re finally here. The days leading up to camp are intense. Since we rent a campground, we load a U-Haul, unload, and set up—all in one day—before camps begin! By the time day one starts, we’re already pretty tired.
It almost feels like pushing a cart uphill. But once night one of services begins and we see students responding to the call of salvation, the cart tilts and starts moving downhill. Seeing immediate fruit from all that hard work is such a relief and brings tremendous joy. It’s the kind of joy that makes us do it all over again the next year—and do it gladly.
As intense as this work is, one of the reasons we’re able to see fruit so quickly is because we’re surrounded by a large group of people who help us make it happen!
But in many other areas of life, we’ve pushed carts uphill for much longer, sometimes taking years to see the fruit of our labor. Other times, we’ve been in the role of “planting seeds” while others came along to “water” and witness the growth. Either way, it’s amazing to see the results of hard work—and one thing is certain: often a dream coming to pass takes multiple people working together.
King David had a multi-generational dream. He longed to build a temple for God’s presence to dwell, but it was his son Solomon who carried out the vision. And Solomon didn’t do it alone—many, many people came together to construct the temple.
God often puts dreams in our hearts that are bigger than we are. And I’m not just talking about vocational ministry. God has given each of us a purpose to carry out that fits into His greater story. As believers in Jesus, He calls us the light of the world, and we have the joy and privilege of shining bright wherever He plants us. Whatever the dream, it matters to the heart of the One who gave it to you, and He wants to see it come to pass.
To carry out these God-given dreams, it’s vital to surround ourselves with like-minded believers who believe in us as we pursue His call. It’s also important to accept that the pursuit of a dream often feels like labor pains. It comes with trials, setbacks, and detours we didn’t plan for. Still, God uses every bit of it to refine our character. Nothing is wasted. Often, the very setbacks we didn’t want are intentional detours from our Creator—leading us exactly where He wants us to be.
The disciples felt this too. They were excited for Jesus to come as the Messiah, expecting Him to overthrow the Romans and take a throne. He was the Messiah, and He is on the throne—but it didn’t happen the way they thought. It turned out far better and impacted more people than they could have ever imagined. Jesus knew their plans were about to be upended, and He said this to them:
“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”—John 16:20–22
The disciples did experience that joy. They lived with purpose, carrying the good news into the world with the help of many others who joined in the mission—an unbroken chain that has carried the message all the way to you and me today. They preached the gospel, and countless others took it further than they could ever see.
So take heart. When you shine brightly in your daily life, your purpose and impact will outlive you, reaching generations to come. What you’re doing matters—even if you don’t see immediate results.
Are you “pushing a cart uphill” right now and feeling discouraged? I pray you’re surrounded by good people to help you carry out your mission, that you remember Jesus’ story when things don’t go according to plan, and that your heart fills with joy as you consider the fruit that will come from your labor. May God give us all strength and encouragement as we live lives that please Him.
“I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.”—1 Corinthians 3:6–9
