Hi there,
So there is a simple three-fold problem here and its starts with being dissatisfied with your own level of work, but it moves on to being dissatisfied with the works of others. This is no good. The point is that works with God are enjoyable and if you are not enjoying your work, the Devil has got the upper hand somehow. But there is this doctrine, that "we live by faith and not by works", which the Devil loves to twist (to mean, you should enjoy faith and not enjoy works). The end result being, that no-one asks of his neighbour "are you enjoying your work?".
Now, we know that God supplies and that there is every possibility that people have enough of their work and want to rest - so God naturally is one to pour out a blessing of "rest". The problem at this second point, is that the Devil gets in the way and says "I (pretending to be God) don't want you to do more, that's not of faith". Now you have to remember the Devil objected to work himself in the beginning: he was born to praise God, but refused to praise God. Now I'm not saying I "don't forgive" my brothers in this respect, but they are very much like Job's friends, when they say "you've done something wrong with your faith, who are you to object to suffering?" So you see, suffering for the Devil starts to look 'holy'.
The joy of this, is that by the time we reach the third angle of the problem - how do we do all the things we are able to do, without becoming works minded? - it begins to be clear that Jesus has the upper hand. The upper hand is this "we can forgive!"; we can consider the possibility of "forgiving the Devil", we can forgive those who do not do works God is offering them, we can forgive people who say "you are doing too much, neglecting the faith of God and what not". The strength of this, is that we can go back even further than the Devil, to a time when no works had been done: what was God motivated to do? What did He enjoy?
So you see, the further back in time you go, with your mind on God, the more you are able to think freely about works you would like to do for Him. In the beginning, you did not have to stop for certain works and wait for others - that's not how God worked then and its not how He works now. God is waiting to come alongside us! If we want to work more, God will come alongside us more. That's what Jesus said "my yoke is easy" (gospels, from memory); He doesn't say "if you start working too hard, I will take my yoke back"! No! He says, "my yoke will keep you focussed on Me, I don't get ahead of myself - and yet I am excited to see the works to come" Let's give Glory where Glory is due! Jesus loves His work.
How is this possible, that some are able to work freely for the Lord, while others are able to work "more"? The answer is simple: Jesus remembers where He was from, the same way you have. Jesus remembers why the work started; if you are like the Devil and you sin, how you started is irrelevant! There comes the division! Those that want to peddle faith without working, will be tempted to say more and more is irrelevant. Those that work and work more because they love the work, will have the simple task of rebuking the Devil for getting in the way of the joy of the Lord (and trying to stay that way?). "He that sowed plenty will reap plenty; he that sowed little will have no lack" (letters, from memory).
Now the real test of this, is simply "does working out of love, give more power to God?" I would argue it does. I would also argue that you will see the difference, as I have just here laid out. Certainly, if you don't remember how much time God gave to the inspiration He knew you would have in Christ Jesus, then you are like the prodigal son, who realises "my father treats his stewards better than this" - you no longer have respect for the world, which God loves. But if you do remember, you are not bound "conditionally" but begin to grow in flourishing at your work, that you have it, that it serves God and that you love being alongside Him as you do it. You can't stay like that without repenting, but you can aim to (stay like that by repenting)!
This is where the guidance of the Holy Spirit comes in; the Holy Spirit is able to tell you when you are leaning in to the yoke too much, and when you are not leaning in enough - we should be ready for that!
I hope that this has been of some encouragement.
God bless.
So there is a simple three-fold problem here and its starts with being dissatisfied with your own level of work, but it moves on to being dissatisfied with the works of others. This is no good. The point is that works with God are enjoyable and if you are not enjoying your work, the Devil has got the upper hand somehow. But there is this doctrine, that "we live by faith and not by works", which the Devil loves to twist (to mean, you should enjoy faith and not enjoy works). The end result being, that no-one asks of his neighbour "are you enjoying your work?".
Now, we know that God supplies and that there is every possibility that people have enough of their work and want to rest - so God naturally is one to pour out a blessing of "rest". The problem at this second point, is that the Devil gets in the way and says "I (pretending to be God) don't want you to do more, that's not of faith". Now you have to remember the Devil objected to work himself in the beginning: he was born to praise God, but refused to praise God. Now I'm not saying I "don't forgive" my brothers in this respect, but they are very much like Job's friends, when they say "you've done something wrong with your faith, who are you to object to suffering?" So you see, suffering for the Devil starts to look 'holy'.
The joy of this, is that by the time we reach the third angle of the problem - how do we do all the things we are able to do, without becoming works minded? - it begins to be clear that Jesus has the upper hand. The upper hand is this "we can forgive!"; we can consider the possibility of "forgiving the Devil", we can forgive those who do not do works God is offering them, we can forgive people who say "you are doing too much, neglecting the faith of God and what not". The strength of this, is that we can go back even further than the Devil, to a time when no works had been done: what was God motivated to do? What did He enjoy?
So you see, the further back in time you go, with your mind on God, the more you are able to think freely about works you would like to do for Him. In the beginning, you did not have to stop for certain works and wait for others - that's not how God worked then and its not how He works now. God is waiting to come alongside us! If we want to work more, God will come alongside us more. That's what Jesus said "my yoke is easy" (gospels, from memory); He doesn't say "if you start working too hard, I will take my yoke back"! No! He says, "my yoke will keep you focussed on Me, I don't get ahead of myself - and yet I am excited to see the works to come" Let's give Glory where Glory is due! Jesus loves His work.
How is this possible, that some are able to work freely for the Lord, while others are able to work "more"? The answer is simple: Jesus remembers where He was from, the same way you have. Jesus remembers why the work started; if you are like the Devil and you sin, how you started is irrelevant! There comes the division! Those that want to peddle faith without working, will be tempted to say more and more is irrelevant. Those that work and work more because they love the work, will have the simple task of rebuking the Devil for getting in the way of the joy of the Lord (and trying to stay that way?). "He that sowed plenty will reap plenty; he that sowed little will have no lack" (letters, from memory).
Now the real test of this, is simply "does working out of love, give more power to God?" I would argue it does. I would also argue that you will see the difference, as I have just here laid out. Certainly, if you don't remember how much time God gave to the inspiration He knew you would have in Christ Jesus, then you are like the prodigal son, who realises "my father treats his stewards better than this" - you no longer have respect for the world, which God loves. But if you do remember, you are not bound "conditionally" but begin to grow in flourishing at your work, that you have it, that it serves God and that you love being alongside Him as you do it. You can't stay like that without repenting, but you can aim to (stay like that by repenting)!
This is where the guidance of the Holy Spirit comes in; the Holy Spirit is able to tell you when you are leaning in to the yoke too much, and when you are not leaning in enough - we should be ready for that!
I hope that this has been of some encouragement.
God bless.
