Sept. 1, 2025

Your Labor is Not in Vain

On this Labor Day, remember this: no work done for the Lord is ever wasted. Discover why even hidden acts of faithfulness carry eternal value and how your labor can glorify God.

Ever feel like your work doesn’t matter?

Maybe your daily routine feels unnoticed, repetitive, or unimportant. But Scripture tells us otherwise: God sees, and He promises that nothing done for Him is ever wasted.

Main Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT) – “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

In this Labor Day devotion, you’ll discover:

Why work done for Christ always has eternal value—even when it feels ordinary.
The hidden faithfulness of Bible translators who labor for decades so others can hear God’s Word.
How your daily efforts—whether at home, at work, or in service—can glorify God.

Takeaway:

The world measures value by recognition, but God measures it by faithfulness. Your labor in the Lord—no matter how small—is not in vain.

Challenge for Today:

Offer your work, however ordinary, to God as worship. Trust that He will use it in ways you may never see this side of eternity.

Encouraged by today’s devotion?

Share this episode with someone who could use a reminder that their daily labor matters to God.

https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com/55

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WEBVTT

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Here's something encouraging. In our lifetime, more than 99% of people on earth can access at least some part of the Bible in a language they can understand. That wasn't true a generation ago. Even so, many languages are still waiting for their first translation. The number might surprise you. Now hold that thought. We'll come back to it.

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart Leger, and for over 40 years as a pastor, I've learned that one of the most discouraging lies we can believe is that our work doesn't matter. In this Labor Day devotion, I want to remind you of a truth straight from Scripture. When your work is done for the Lord, it always carries meaning. It's never wasted. Our verse for the day is 1 Corinthians 1558, and it says this, Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. Let's go back to that statistic I mentioned earlier. as of August 1st, 2025, just 544 of the world's 7,396 living languages are still waiting for their first Scripture translation. In 2020, that number was more than 2,000.

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In 99, it was more than 5,000.

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This means that over the last two decades, Bible translators have worked on more than 4,600 languages that once had nothing.

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Now, think about the hidden hours behind that. The linguistic studies these translators had to go through.

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The late nights wrestling with grammar structures. Often, for a language that never had an alphabet or was ever written down before. That takes patience and creativity. For those languages, the people have to be taught this new alphabet. And how to read their own language.

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All this, so someone could read God's Word in their heart language. Most of these translators will never be famous.

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Their names won't appear in the history books. Even so, Paul's words are true for them. Nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. these faithful translators working far from their home country. The work is difficult and slow. Progress often comes a verse at a time.

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But their quiet labor means entire communities one day will read, For God so loved the world in their own tongue. They may never see all the fruit of their labor on the side of heaven. But their work for the Lord is not in vain. And the same is true for you. Your labor might not look like Bible translation. But when it's done with the heart for Christ, it matters. Moms and dads who change diapers and pack lunches, Your labor is not in vain. Teachers who stay after school to encourage a struggling student, Your labor is not in vain. First responders, health care workers, People in offices, Farmers in the field, Pastors in small churches, When you do it, As unto the Lord, Every bit of effort carries eternal weight.

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We live in a culture that measures value by recognition.

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Did anyone notice? Did I get credit? But God measures differently. He sees faithfulness. He sees the heart behind the work. And He promises that no labor done in His name is wasted. So take heart, Whatever your task, However ordinary or hidden it feels, If it's offered to Him, It has meaning that will echo into eternity. Lord, Thank you for the reminder that our labor matters when it's done for you.

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Encourage the hearts of those who feel unseen or unappreciated today. Give us strength to stay faithful, To work with joy, And to trust that nothing done in your name is ever wasted. In Jesus' name, Amen. Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives.

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Remember, Whatever you do for the Lord is never in vain. Come back next time for more encouragement To help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless, And have a great day.

Your Labor is Not in Vain

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