If you’ve felt spiritually dry or distracted, this may be your call to start again. Discover four biblical ways spring invites you to seek the Lord, renew your mind, and stir up what He has planted in you.

5 Spiritual Reasons to Fast

9 Ways to Really Trust in God's Provision

Recently a friend told me, “I feel like my job is a drain on my soul.” His words describe how many people feel today. In The Burnout Society, Byung-Chul Han observes how modern life has turned us into “achievement-subjects.” He explains, “The achievement-subject competes with itself; it succumbs to the destructive compulsion to outdo itself over and over, to jump over its own shadow.” In our desperation to maximize productivity, he argues, we’ve become a society defined by voluntary self-exploitation. Achievement addiction has led to emotional exhaustion. Today, many are ashamed of their failure to advance in their careers, frustrated over being underpaid, or bored from long hours of menial tasks. Maybe you’re afraid because of your industry’s direction, or perhaps you wonder if your work is valuable. In the malaise of modern work, God offers us a hopeful alternative. First Thessalonians 4:9–12 presents a theology of work rooted in divine love, quiet ambition, and missional living. Expression of Divine Love In verse 9, Paul praises the Thessalonian believers for their “brotherly love.” But he still offers a subtle critique. In verses 10–11, he tells them to love one another “more and more” through their work. Paul goes further in 2 Thessalonians 3, rebuking some in the church who refused to have a job. At the heart of the Thessalonians’ dysfunctional work ethic is a misunderstanding of God’s love, which is the source of and standard for our work. In our desperation to maximize productivity, we’ve become a society defined by voluntary self-exploitation. Seeing work as a response to and expression of God’s love can reshape the way we approach our careers. Derek Thompson describes Americans as “adherents to a cult of productivity and achievement.” He calls this a cult of “workism.” We expect our careers to provide all we need—not only financial stability but also relationships, purpose, and even self-expression. We define ourselves by our work. Christianity offers a more satisfying alternative. Because God loves and has worked for us, we’ve received the strength and example we need to love others through our work. Scripture often refers to God as a worker—a builder (Heb. 11:10), physician (Luke 5:31), shepherd (John 10:1), and vinedresser (15:1). He’s lovingly at work to renew us and the world. In our vocations, we get to be agents of this renewal. We can serve the marginalized, offer to mentor someone younger in our field, or respond to a child’s tantrum with grace. Our work gives us the opportunity to show God’s compassion as we pursue the good of those around us. Quiet Ambition Paul also commands the Thessalonian believers, “Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands” (1 Thess. 4:11). Aspiring to live quietly, or having quiet ambition, puts together two ideas we often separate. This apparent oxymoron is a potent subversion of the American dream. Modern work often involves constantly comparing ourselves with others. We feel the pressure to make more, work harder, and climb faster than our peers. God, by contrast, offers a path to contentment: “Mind your own affairs” (v. 11). Paul didn’t tell the Thessalonians to achieve more by pursuing fame, influence, and wealth; he told them to quietly focus their passion on the work right in front of them. Instead of being jealous about a coworker’s promotion, idolizing your boss’s approval, or endlessly comparing yourself with your LinkedIn network, you’re free to humbly accept the work God has given you. God offers contentment not through career accolades or a six-figure salary but through a quiet vocation faithfully submitted to Jesus. Missional Living According to Paul, a person with quiet ambition will be able to “walk properly before outsiders” (v. 12). Our work is a testimony to the world about God. When we think about how to apply our faith to work, we may think first about being generous with our resources and sharing the gospel in the workplace. While both are essential, what if we viewed work itself as a way to display God’s glory to the lost? As Dorothy Sayers writes, “What the Church should be telling [an intelligent carpenter] is this: that the very first demand that his religion makes upon him is that he should make good tables.” High-quality work proclaims God’s creative excellence to the world. Consider how the early church transformed multiple societal spheres through their distinctly Christian approach to work. They created the first public hospitals, introduced the legal concept of human rights, and invented social welfare that provided for the poor. God used their unique testimony to convert the Roman Empire. What would it look like if we approached our careers in the same way? If you’re a manager, inspire your employees to work hard by exemplifying Christlike servant leadership. If you’re a social worker, use theological and clinical insights to heal your clients’ wounds. If you’re a parent, model the Father’s love by sacrificially nurturing your child. Every meeting, conversation, and decision is a chance to embody Christ’s Word and work to those around you. Hope of Renewal The gospel we proclaim is the hope that fuels our vocations. In verses 13–18, Paul describes the day when Jesus will return to fully renew the world. He’ll heal the ache we all feel. All will be made right through his work. When Jesus returns to fully renew the world, he’ll heal the ache we all feel. All will be made right through his work. The restoration of work is made possible through Christ’s death and resurrection. On the cross, Jesus took our shame, arrogance, overwork, and laziness so we could be forgiven. Christians receive Christ’s love not because of our performance but because of his. And as recipients of grace, we get to join God in his work of restoring creation. Work can be consuming and painful. But because of Christ, we don’t work for an identity but from one. Let’s embrace our vocations and work with Christ to bring renewal to an exhausted world.

Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) is good advice to anyone making a purchase. You should always know what you’re getting before you commit to buying. Fortunately, consumer law provides some protection and warranties guarantee some level of performance. Both parties in a transaction bear responsibilities: buyers should do their homework, and sellers ought not to give a misleading account of their goods. When it comes to the gospel, preachers have a solemn duty to present its blessings accurately. Failing to do so misrepresents not only the message but God himself and runs the risk of leaving those who respond in faith regretful and disillusioned. The prosperity gospel that promises health and wealth is just one example of such false advertising. So, what are the benefits every Christian can expect to receive from believing the gospel of Jesus Christ? Paul answers this question in his most comprehensive exposition of the gospel—the book of Romans. Let’s examine Romans 5:1–11, which gives a good account of such benefits and where the gospel’s money-back guarantees are mind-blowing and immensely appealing. This passage acts as a bridge and turning point between the first two major units of the letter. In chapters 1–4, Paul expounds the gospel of God’s saving righteousness and provision of a righteous status before God to those who believe in Jesus. Then 5:1 recaps and summarizes chapters 1–4 before moving the argument forward to the life of those who trust in Jesus: “Since we have been justified by faith, we have . . .” The change in 5:1–11 isn’t only one of topic but also one of tone. Paul moves from measured argument in chapters 1–4, using mainly second person verbs (you did this, you did that) and third person verbs (God did this, Abraham did that) to exuberant enumeration of the gospel’s blessings using first-person plural verbs (we have this, we have that); three occurrences of the verb “to rejoice/boast” (vv. 2, 3, 11) mark the passage with a celebratory character. 1. Peace with God As a result of being justified by faith, believers enjoy peace with God (v. 1). A key term in Romans, the blessing of peace has a rich backstory, present and future dimensions, and ethical implications. In 2:7–10, peace with God is an eschatological gift, along with glory and honor. Alternatively, for those “who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth,” their future is grim (wrath, fury, tribulation, and distress). In the Old Testament, peace is a consistent feature of the end-time fulfillment of God’s covenant promises. In Isaiah 9:6–7 the coming “son,” who is the “Prince of Peace,” will rule “on the throne of David,” and “of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.” More than just the absence of discord and hostility, peace with God connotes restored relationships with God and all people in a new creation. More than just the absence of discord and hostility, peace with God connotes restored relationships with God and all people in a new creation. Elsewhere in Romans: God is “the God of peace” (16:20), “the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (8:6), and the kingdom of God is a matter of “peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (14:17). Believers, by implication, are to follow “the way of peace” (3:17), “live peaceably with all” (12:18), and “pursue what makes for peace” (14:19). Although the full experience of peace awaits the eternal state, Paul prays, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (15:13). 2. Access to God’s Grace The second benefit is “access by faith into this grace in which we stand” (5:2), and it comes “through him,” that is, Jesus Christ. Whereas Paul can use the word “access” with reference to entry into God’s presence (Eph. 2:18; 3:12), in 5:2 it refers to the continuing availability of God’s grace to believers made possible by Christ’s work. We have continual access to the grace that saves us (3:24); we aren’t only saved by grace but also strengthened and sustained by grace to live lives worthy of the gospel. 3. Sure Hope The third benefit is “the hope of the glory of God” (v. 2; see vv. 4–5). The prospect of glory from God in the future is unsurprisingly something to celebrate, joyfully anticipate, and take pride in. The verb “take pride in” (kauchaomai) can have negative or positive connotations, and Paul exploits both poles of meaning in Romans. In 3:27 and 4:2, self-confident boasting as the basis for one’s standing with God is prohibited. But in 5:2, 3, and 11, boasting in and joyfully praising God for his blessings, including hope, is entirely appropriate. Paul understands that hope can seem a flimsy concept. Hope, by definition, is unrealized longing: “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?” (8:24). There are different types of hope. You can hope for a pay rise, fine weather, or a loved one’s recovery from a serious illness. The fulfillment of this kind of hope might seem doubtful and unlikely. The hope of the gospel combines deep desire and confident expectation—a sure and certain hope that will not lead to disappointment or shame (5:5), for it’s guaranteed by God’s love. Hoping for the glory of God is a profound longing to experience the goodness and grace of the living God; it’s a yearning to be with God. 4. Beneficial Suffering The fourth blessing of justification comes as something of a surprise: “We rejoice in our sufferings” (v. 3). The word translated “sufferings” (thlipsis) is a general term for all kinds of hardship and afflictions. Paul claims we can be glad of our troubles, not out of some perverse enjoyment of pain but because we know they bring significant benefits: “Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (vv. 3–4). Such reasoning, of course, assumes we highly value living in a way that pleases God and long for the day of our redemption. 5. Gift of the Holy Spirit The next benefit of being justified by faith is in 5:5: God’s love for us being poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Once again, there’s a critical backstory to the gift of the Spirit to all believers. Paul appears to be drawing on Joel 2:28–29: “It shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. . . . In those days I will pour out my Spirit” (see Acts 2:17, 18, 33; 10:45; 1 Cor. 12:7). In fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, the Spirit of God gives believers the experience of God’s overflowing love, reassuring us of his care and concern during trials and giving us a firm ground for hope. 6. Assurance of God’s Love The sixth benefit is being certain that God loves us (vv. 6–8), which reminds us of how Paul addressed the Christians in Romans 1:7 (“To all those in Rome who are loved by God”). The death of Christ “for us” (v. 8; see v. 6) is the irrefutable proof that God loves us. The completely undeserved and extraordinary nature of God’s love is seen in three descriptions of those for whom Christ died: for “the ungodly” (v. 6), “sinners” (v. 8) and his “enemies” (v. 10). It’s also seen in contrast to two situations of human love where such sacrificial love is so unlikely and uncommon (v. 7). That Christ died for us “at the right time” (v. 6) points to his death as the climax of salvation history. 7. God Himself The final verse in Romans 5:1–11 climaxes with the seventh benefit of being justified by faith: “We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (v. 11). Rejoicing in God himself is a fitting pinnacle of Paul’s celebration of salvation’s benefits. The justified, saved, and reconciled have peace with God, access to God’s grace, the hope of the glory of God, an experience of suffering that leads them closer to God, the gift of God’s Spirit, and the assurance of God’s extraordinary love demonstrated in the death of God’s Son. These six converge and reach their high point with Paul’s final call to rejoice in God himself. Rejoicing in God himself is a fitting climax to Paul’s celebration of salvation’s benefits. The money-back guarantees of the grace of God in the gospel are beyond measure. In Romans 5:1–11, we rejoice in God the Father with whom we have peace, who loves us, and from whom we’ll receive glory. We rejoice in God the Son, who died for us and through whom we have peace with God, by whose blood we’re justified, who saves us from God’s wrath, and through whom we’re reconciled. And we rejoice in God the Spirit, who continually assures us of God’s unfailing and extraordinary love for us.