Not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. — ROMANS 12:11
William Carey faithfully toiled in India for seven years before rejoicing in 1800 over the first believer, Krishna Pal. That kind of patience is only possible by rooting ourselves in faithfulness to Christ and trusting Him for the harvest. Be fueled and renewed in your service to Christ and His people.
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Paul has been giving a series of exhortations focusing on our service in the body of Christ in Romans 12:4–13. Here he deals with the natural tendency we have as frail people to be exhausted and to give up in loving and serving our fellow brothers and sisters. How do we keep from the tendency toward frustration in the often-unrewarding toil of ministry? Paul gives three exhortations to spur us on in the work of the Lord.
First, he urges us to not lag behind in diligence. The idea is to not be slow in zeal, but to do things quickly. This is a confrontation to the laziness or procrastination that creeps into the life of the discouraged Christian. We must recognize that our time is short and ultimately a stewardship from the Lord.
Second, Paul urges us to be fervent, or literally to boil, in Spirit. In the original (by use of the article in Greek), Paul may be referring to the Holy Spirit rather than our spirit. Our focus should not be on externals, but on the spiritual fruit that only God can produce.
Third, we must be dedicated to “serving the Lord.” Ministry is through Him and for Him—only this perspective will keep us going strong. He is the Master of the church and we are but servants.
William Carey faithfully toiled in India for seven years before rejoicing in 1800 over the first believer, Krishna Pal. That kind of patience is only possible by rooting ourselves in faithfulness to Christ and trusting Him for the harvest. Be fueled and renewed in your service to Christ and His people.