Being a Christian is not for the lazy.  Pleasing God involves work; not meritorious work, but work nevertheless.

Philippians 2:12 (ESV)
¹² Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Jesus knows there is work to do and only a limited time to do it.

John 9:4 (ESV)
⁴ We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

Too many congregations fail to reach their full potential because members are unwilling to participate in the work that needs to be done.  The question is, “Are you a part of the problem or the solution?”  God has given local churches the tools to succeed and grow spiritually and numerically, but in the end, the success of a local church will depend on the willingness of members to work.

Ephesians 4:16 (ESV)
¹⁶ From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

We are the joints and parts that form the body of Christ.  We must work properly to grow and be what God wants us to be.  That means we must all use the talents with which God has blessed us (Matthew 25:14-30).  When we develop an unwillingness to be active members of the church, we are standing in God’s way of blessing us with growth.   Remember, any work that we do for the Lord is a work that God is doing through us.

Philippians 2:13 (ESV)
¹³ For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

While God works in us, He does not do it apart from our willingness to obey.  We must work out our salvation by using the tools that God has given us to do the work.  What are these tools?  The word of God is one of them.  Prayer is another.   The ability to think and reason is yet another tool for us to take advantage of to do God’s will.  We have all we need to work out our salvation.

Hebrews 13:20–21 (ESV)
²⁰Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, ²¹equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Let us all determine to allow God to work in, through, and by us.  He has equipped us with everything good so that we can do His will, but He is not going to do the work for us.  If you have not been working as you should, get out of God’s way and watch Him operate in your life.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.