Work is a Part of Experiencing God’s Best.

This image’s timing worked out just about right. The photo was taken in October several years ago. The weather had just begun to cool and the leaves had barely started their annual yard invasion at our home.

I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year.

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I love the cooler weather, colorful leaves, and crisp air. I despise the back and forth of temperatures and raking or blowing all of those leaves after they’ve fallen. I still love leaf watching and driving down a street where leaves fall and blow away as the car goes by. But, I know, there’s a job waiting for me at the house.

We built our house 21 years ago and the lot surrounded by woods and dotted with newly planted trees seemed idyllic. I should have known the trees would get bigger. The shade would overtake the lawn more and more every year. The trees would starve the grass during times of drought. And… the leaves. I can remember times where the wind seemed to never stop blowing. The more I gathered leaves, the more they fell—and blew away from me to another area of the yard.

Sure, I could pay someone to get up my leaves, but it isn’t cheap. And, when I retired, I committed to doing my own yard work to make myself exercise. Well, it’s not exercise.

It’s work.

It’s similar, but different with our walk with the Lord. Now, I know this doesn’t happen with every new believer, but oftentimes, when initially accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we experience the high of freedom in Christ. I mean, He’s made us new after all. We no longer are held captive by sin. We have a hope that we’ve never had. Heaven awaits us!

But then, there’s living the Christian life.

Maybe it’s easy for others, but it’s not for me. Like the leaves, I love my time with the Lord. I relish the moments He and I talk. I count on Him giving me peace when life wants to take my peace. I don’t always get clear answers the way I want to hear them or see them, but I know He’s listening and that He will provide at just the right time in just the right way.

I also know, my relationship with the Lord requires work on my part.

I’m not required to get up my own leaves. But the benefit is that I get exercise. I feel good after completing the job (once I take a few pain relievers). I look back and can say, “I made it through another leaf season.” These may not be your goals, but that are satisfying to me. The benefits outweigh the cost.

I’m also not required to do good works to experience salvation. Salvation is mine through grace by faith.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NASB)

However, my relationship also requires work.

“For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26)

God’s grace didn’t come cheap because His Son had to die for me to live. And it doesn’t come easy, because it’s work when we strive for discipline, service, and study to know Him more. But the benefits far outweigh the cost. Our right relationship with the Lord (right because we are in alignment with Him) allows us to receive all He has in store for us.

My prayer is that we accept His offer to lead our lives and then work hard to experience His best.Today’s feature photo comes from a “photo-a-day” challenge I pursued several years ago. The photo inspires the topic. For me, the posts challenge my creativity, writing discipline, and dependence on God for His message. My prayer is that you find hope in God’s Word, and that you’ll share your hope with others.