There are seasons in life when we work tirelessly, pray consistently, and yet see no results for a very long time. In those moments, worry and frustration can easily creep in. But instead of focusing on the results, maybe the real question is this: How are we living while we wait?
Jesus Himself pointed us to a famous lesson:
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)
“See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.“(Matthew 6:28–29)
Does that mean God doesn’t value hard work? Let’s look deeper.
In the book of Judges, God called Gideon to face an enemy as numerous as the sand on the seashore (Judges 7). But God reduced his army to just 300 men—not because of their talent or strength, but because of something as simple as how they drank water.
And then, instead of swords, He gave them trumpets and torches. Imagine it: 300 men surrounding a massive enemy camp at night, not hidden in the dark but carrying light for all to see, blowing trumpets to draw attention. This wasn’t guerrilla warfare or clever strategy. It was God making sure the victory would bring Him glory—not Gideon’s strength.
“The LORD said to Gideon, ‘With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.’” (Judges 7:7)
Here, hard work wasn’t the focus—God’s grace was. Sometimes, His grace overshadows our efforts, so that no one can boast: “I did it by my strength.”
But does that mean we don’t need to work at all? Or that faith alone will bring results? Let’s look at Joshua.
God had promised victory in Canaan, yet when they went to fight the small town of Ai, they were defeated. Why? Because of Achan’s disobedience.
“But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan… took some of them. So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel.” (Joshua 7:1)
Here we see that faith in God’s promises, without obedience to His commands, cannot bring results. It wasn’t lack of hard work that caused failure—it was misalignment with God’s word.
Returning to Jesus’ teaching, yes, the birds do not sow or reap, yet they search for food. They fly, they look, they work in their own way. And lilies may not weave, but they must still absorb sunlight, draw water, and grow in God’s design.
So the message is not to avoid work, but to work in the way God created us.
A bird has wings, not hands. It cannot sow or reap, but it can fly. And in doing so, it fulfills its purpose and God provides. Likewise, we must give our maximum—not necessarily the hardest labor, but the best of what God has placed in us.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23)
The truth is this: little work of our hands combined with great grace from God can produce mighty results. But that requires three things:
- Do your part – Give your best in the strength God has given you.
- Stay aligned – Obey His word and walk in His ways.
- Trust His grace – Allow Him to multiply your effort for His glory.
When we live this way, we find peace. No need for anxiety, no fear of failure, no depression over delays. Just steady trust that God will make our results rival the splendor of Solomon, in His time and in His way.
Are we ready for that—to live and labor within the Quiver of God?
May God bless you all.