Be Comforted: Nothing Is Wasted Before God

In this episode, we are reminded that no action is wasted before God. From Joseph’s story to the cross, Scripture shows that God can use even painful and evil actions without approving them, while also rewarding every good work done in Him. This message calls us to live with gratitude, accountability, repentance, and renewed strength in well doing.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:23

The good you do, the wrong you repent of, the pain others cost you, and the hidden sacrifices that made today possible, all matter before Him. Good morning and welcome to this expression of igniting your day. Are you here and you feel like some of your actions or efforts have been wasted? Are you carrying regret over past mistakes? Are you being hurt by the actions of others? Or perhaps on the other side, have you chosen never to be accountable to anyone for your actions in this life? Whoever you are, I have a message for you. No action of man is useless or wasted before God. Let me say that again. No action of man is useless or wasted before God. If you do good, God knows what to do with your good. If you do evil, God is still not surprised by your action. He still knows how to work through it. But what you must know is this every action counts before God. Every action matters before God. Why? Because God will judge every work, whether it is positive or negative. Ecclesiastes 12, verse 14 says, For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. And 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 10 says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad. Please give me a few minutes. Let me explain some things to you. Negative actions are not approved by God, but they are not useless to God. Yes, the first thing I want you to know is this negative actions may not be approved by God, but they are never useless to God. God may not approve of evil, but he still knows what to do with the evil that men do. Take a look at the cross. Acts chapter 2, verse 23 says concerning Jesus, Him be delivered by the determinate counsel and full knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Do you see that? Those who crucified Jesus thought they acted only by their own will. But scripture says it happened according to the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God. Their hands were wicked, yet God's purpose was not defeated. So, God may not be smiling at every negative thing a person is doing, but those negative things never come as a surprise to him. God still knows how to make use of even those things for his glory. However, never forget this: God judges every action. Also, take a look at Joseph. His brothers did him evil, not strangers, not acquaintances, not enemies, his own brothers did him harm. But after Joseph became prime minister, he said in Genesis chapter 50, verse 20, But as for you, you thought evil against me, but God made it unto good. That is the first thing I want you to know. Negative actions may not be approved by God, but they are never useless to God. The second thing I want you to know is this good actions done in the Lord are never wasted. Whether it is faithful service, kindness, sacrifice, or love, it is never a waste. There are times we do good and later feel that the people who received that good may not have deserved it or may not have appreciated it. But listen, no good act is wasted, especially when it is done in the Lord. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 58 says, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Hebrews chapter 6, verse 10 also says, For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed towards his name. Good actions done in the Lord are never wasted. The fourth thing I like you to know is this your sufferings, your errors, your mistakes can still be worked into God's purpose. If you are listening to me and you feel like a victim, know this every suffering, every error, and every mistake can still be worked into God's purpose. How do I know? Romans chapter 8, verse 28 says, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. So, if you feel cheated, robbed, helpless, or overlooked because of the good things you did that went unacknowledged, please know this: all things work together for good. So, be encouraged if you feel used. Be comforted if you feel cheated, be strengthened if you feel tired, but also be advised if you have chosen to be unaccountable concerning your actions. No action on this earth will escape God's assessment. No action. What then should we do going forward? What should I do going forward? What should you do going forward? Number one, do good deliberately. Galatians chapter 6 verse 9 says, And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. Do not wait until goodness feels convenient. Do not wait until people appreciate you before you do what is right. Do good deliberately, because God sees and God rewards. Number two, repent quickly when you have done wrong. Yes, 1 John chapter 1, verse 9 says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Because every action matters to God, friends, we must not defend what should be confessed. We must not hide what should be brought into the light. Repent quickly and receive the mercy of God. Number three, trust God with what others have done to you. Yes. Joseph's story shows us that while men meant evil, God meant it for good. That means no human action surprises God. God saw what they were planning before they did it, and God knew how to turn it for his purpose. Being hurt, being cheated, or being trampled upon should not be your end. When men are doing evil, their evil is not surprising to God. God sees the evil ahead of time, and this God, who is an extraordinary strategist, excuse me, knows how to turn what is meant for evil into good. That was Joseph's experience. Number four, refuse to despise hidden faithfulness. Yes. Refuse to despise hidden faithfulness. There are people who are paying heavy prices for the little blessings you and I are enjoying today. Let me say that again. There are people who are paying heavy prices for the good you and I are seeing today. Hebrews chapter 6, verse 10 reminds us that God is not unjust to forget the work and labor of love shown towards his name. Refuse to despise the hidden faithfulness of other people. It can be a program you are part of. There are people whose efforts are visible, but there are also people whose efforts may never be visible. Yet the visible efforts may rest mightily on the invisible ones. If you have a man who works for you and you consider him hardworking, remember that the reason he is able to concentrate and do what he is doing may be because he has a good wife at home. The effort of the wife may not be visible to you, but the good you see in that man may be supported by what he receives behind the scenes. This morning, I do not know how this applies to you, but the Lord is calling us all to gratitude. The Lord is calling us all to humility. There are efforts that have contributed to the good you enjoy on earth today. God wants you to recognize those efforts and become a blessing. Yes. Why does this revelation matter? This revelation is important, especially today. First, there are people whose unknown or hidden labels are benefiting you today, and you may never know them until you leave this earth. Therefore, be humble and be grateful. Let me say that again. There are people whose unknown or hidden labels are benefiting you today, and you may never know them until you leave this earth. Therefore, be humble and be grateful. Second, there are people who are paying heavy prices for the good you and I enjoy today, and they may already be getting tired. Those people need to be upheld in prayer. That is the purpose of today's broadcast. The comfort you enjoy today may be the result of the efforts of some people who are walking behind the scenes. You may not know them. Of course, there are some you know, but there are also many you may never know. This morning, you and I are called to gratefulness. You and I are called to humility because there is nothing we have that we have not received. Can you pray this morning that your benefactors will not be tired? Pray for the people who did you good. Pray for everyone who has been a blessing to you. Pray that they will continue in the ability God supplies them. Acknowledge that you have been helped by God to get to where you are today. Yes, there have probably been situations in your life where you were utterly helpless, and God, through human vessels, showed up and gave you the help you needed. Why don't you just go ahead and thank God? You may be powerful today, but remember you have parents who may be living at the mercy of other people. You may have influence today, but remember that you have siblings and you may not know what they are going through right now. You have children and you may not know what they are facing where they are right now. Please be grateful and be humble. Galatians chapter 6, verse 9 says, And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. Pray for yourself as well. Maybe you have been doing good. Pray that you will not be tired. Some of the people you are doing good to may not seem appreciative enough, but there is no good you do that goes unrewarded. God is watching. God is watching. Pray for yourself that you will not be tired. Yes. Can you pray for marriages and homes as well? Yes. You see, because of the blessedness of marriage, it is very easy for husband and wife to minimize the labors of one another. Because she does it every day, because she does it before being reminded, because she does it before being told, because it looks natural to her. But that does not mean those efforts should not be commended. That does not mean those efforts should not be acknowledged. On the other side, because everybody says it is his duty, because the society expects it of him, because he has no excuse if he does not do it, and because everything rises and falls on leadership. It does not mean that the good you enjoy because of what he does should not be acknowledged. Why don't you just pray for every marriage around you? Pray for yours as well if you are married in the name of Jesus. Pray that every mother will not be tired. Pray that every father will not be tired. Pray that husbands will not be weary in well-doing. Pray that wives will not be willing in well-doing. Pray for your partner if you are married. If you are a man, pray for your wife. That she will not be willing in well-doing. If you are a wife, pray for your husband as well. That he will not be willing in well-doing. In the name of Jesus. Children supporting their parents also come to mind. Yes, let's be a blessing to them. Someone once said, Whether you have a male child or a female child, it doesn't matter. What matters is that your children will be kind. What matters is that your child will be kind. Every child who is being kind to their parents right now, just bless God for them. Pray that they will not be tired. Yes, pray that they will not be tired. Declare that their resources will never run dry. Pray also for every child who is not yet kind to their parents. Pray that the Lord will open their eyes. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Now pray for yourself. The Bible says in Acts chapter 17, verse 28 that in Him we live, in Him we move, and in Him we have our being. The Bible also says in Philippians 2.13 that it is God who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Pray this morning that your actions will always please God. Yes, whether you are at home, at work, wherever you are, pray that your actions will always please God. Your actions will please the Lord. Your words will please the Lord. Your motives will please the Lord. Psalm 19, verse 14 says, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Why don't you pray this morning that your words of your mouth will do other people good? Not only will your words be acceptable to God, our words will also be a blessing to people. Colossians chapter 4, verse 6 reminds us that our speech should be gracious and wise so that we may know how to answer others rightly. Pray this morning that your words will do others good wherever you go and wherever you speak in the name of Jesus. Amen. Wow. My dear friends, take a moment today to thank God for at least one person whose visible or hidden label has helped you and pray that they will not grow weary. I am wishing you this morning.