Sincere followers of Christ have always been known for their diligence.  The Greek word for diligence is spoudē and denotes two main ideas.

First, to do something with diligence is to do it with speed and zeal.  This is what God’s people are accustomed to doing when it comes to carrying out His divine will.   God is our Creator, Jesus is our Lord, and the Spirit is our guide, so when will are given a command, there is no need to procrastinate.  Tomorrow the command that God has given us will be the same as it is today and so why hesitate?  Men and Women of faith respond diligently to the commands of God.  Do you remember what Abraham did when God commanded him to offer Isaac as a burnt offering?

Genesis 22:3 (ESV)
³  So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

Was this a command that Abraham wanted to keep?  Probably not, after all, the Bible tells us that Abraham loved Isaac.  He did not, however, love him more than he did God; therefore, he wasted no time in setting out to do the will of God.  We should all have this same approach to the commandments of God.  Hesitation is a demonstration of a lack of desire to want to please God.

Let us not overlook the zeal aspect of diligence.  Christians not only act quickly when it comes to the instructions of God, but they do so gladly.  Yes, there are times when a commandment of God does not agree with us, as was, no doubt, the case with Abraham, but for the most part, we follow God’s Word with joyful obedience because we know the God whom we serve.  We know He loves us and wants what is best for us, and knowing this, we submit to Him with all diligence.

Second, to do something with diligence is to do it vigorously.  In other words, it is characteristic of true Christians to give God their best.

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Doing our best is all that God ever requires so far as effort is concerned.  On one occasion, a woman came to the house where Jesus was and anointed His head with expensive ointment.  Some of His disciples were perturbed by her use of the ointment and scolded her, but Jesus said, “Leave her alone.  Why do you trouble her?  She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Mark 14:6).  But I especially like what He said next in commending her.  He said, “She has done what she could…” (ver. 8).  This is a characteristic of all who really love the Lord.  They do what they can in service to Christ, and that includes doing their best to be approved.

Are you diligent in your efforts to please God?  It is not just what we do that pleases God, but, in some ways, it is how we do it.  Paul once said that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).  This is true, not only of our finances, but of our entire being.  

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