Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21 (NIV)

 

Our identity and position in Christ qualify us to receive our full inheritance of blessings and grace. These blessings of being loved, forgiven, and empowered can contribute to our calling from God to serve others.

We love because we are loved far above what we deserve. We forgive because we are forgiven far beyond what we deserve. We bless because we are blessed far more than we deserve. In other words, we don’t start at a deficit since God has been abundantly gracious and generous toward us, withholding nothing from us because He desires that we do every good work for His glory.

According to the writer of Hebrews, God is working in us to do what pleases Him. This frees us from a performance mindset and selfish motivation to earn God’s acceptance or approval. Two big lies of the Enemy are that we are not spiritual enough or that we are more spiritual than others. Both leads to fleshy efforts or responses to fulfil only what God can fulfil.

Pleasing God comes from having the mind of Christ and being aware of His empowering presence working in us. As we grow and experience the fullness of life God has bestowed on us through Christ in the Spirit, it produces the motivation and momentum in us to do what pleases Him (cf. Philippians 2:13). Then life and ministry are not about doing more, but about doing everything with God, and for God, and because of God.