Your Hard Work Might Not Seem Profitable But God's Applause Brings Everything
Colossians 3:23,24 and Luke 14:16-24 Study Guide
Soul Food
“Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’”
The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
“‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’” - Luke 14:16-24 NIV
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” - Colossians 3:23,24 NIV
Soul Search
Have you ever worked on something that yielded few-to-no results? How did that make you feel? What was your reaction?
Do you remember a time when your Mom or your Dad or a close friend or other family member didn’t show up at something you were involved in and that was important to you? If you have remembered that event, how does it make you feel now?
Are there times when your disappointment can lead to erratic or bad behavior? Do you feel you can share some examples?
What options do you have with respect to your attitude when things don’t go the way you had hoped or planned? How do you handle disappointment?
Soul Moves
Anytime you make plans, commit them to the Lord. Ask for His blessing on your plans through prayer. Read Proverbs 16:3
When you pray, ask God to help you remember to trust Him for the outcome of any plans you make. If the plans don’t go as you had hoped or they aren’t successful in the way you wanted them to be, decide ahead of time what your reactions and attitudes will be. Determine that you will react with thanksgiving and gratitude no matter what.
Pray about how you will handle disappointments in the future. Pray over your reactions before future disappointments happen. Ask God to put the attitude in you that Jesus would have ahead of time.
Talk about some positive and godly ways you can turn disappointments into opportunities. Can you come to the place of forgiving people who have hurt and disappointed you?
