What motivates you to keep doing the “right” thing even though others oppose you or are criticizing your efforts? What compels you to remain at your post in the face of painful adversity or to refuse to quit even though no one seems to appreciate your sacrifices?
The apostle Paul had ample reason to take out early retirement! Few people will endure the hardships he did in his service of Christ. Yet he never wavered. Why? Because he had surrendered his life to Christ. It belonged to his Lord. He relinquished his dreams, ambitions, future plans, and longings to Christ and was trusting that Christ, in turn, would grant him abundant life.
Paul also knew that one day Christ would return and set everything in human affairs right. Christ would reward those who had remained faithful and He would judge those who had defied him. Paul knew that day was most certainly coming, so he forged ahead. Paul was convinced that Christ would keep every promise. The apostle understood that he could live his life for Christ with confidence because one day he would experience his full reward.
Are you living your life with confidence, knowing that your Savior is absolutely trustworthy?