by That Proverbs Mamma Inspiring Verses and Bible Stories that Will Give You The Determination To Work Hard and Achieve Success.
We can get straight to all the verses in the Bible about determination and hard work but the truth is, that you need to have the right motivation. Your heart needs to be in the right place. You aren’t just here for temporary gain. You haven’t been called to small goals. The Bible is clear that The Lord has a bigger purpose for you.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
(Ephesians 2:10 NIV)
This Bible verse reminds us that we were actually created for work. We were created to do wonderful things that God planned for us to do. We have specific callings and we should be obedient to them. We are a part of his masterpiece. What an empowering thought!
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose.”
(Romans 8:28 NIV)
This verse should give you so much comfort. One – That you have been called as a part of the Lord’s greater purpose. Two – That even when your plans seem to fall apart, you can be sure that God is working all things together for good. Persevere and don’t give up. It will all come together in time.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
(Colossians 3:23-24 NIV)
Guys, this verse gets me every time. It has been 15 years of pondering this verse and I still find myself working for the approval of people. Really meditate on this verse and check your heart. Are you working hard for the wrong purpose? Are you seeking the approval of others through your success? Ask God to teach you how to live to please him rather than people.
With the heart check and greater purpose acknowledged. Let’s look at the Bible verses that are really going to give you the determination to keep working hard and chasing your goals.
“It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on.
(Proverbs 16:26 NLT)
Get hungry for what you want. God gave us desires for a reason. They drive us forward. They make us persevere and give us the determination we need to finish the task.
“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.”
(Proverbs 21:5 NLT)
This Scripture reminds us to do things properly. We don’t need to rush. Make a plan, commit it to God and then follow through.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans”.
(Proverbs 16:3 NIV)
Love this verse. It’s a done deal. When God says he will do something. It’s done. Don’t rush ahead. Take a moment to stop and give your dreams to God. Ask him to help you and nothing will be impossible!
“If you work hard at what you do,
great abundance will come to you.
But merely talking about getting rich
while living to only pursue your pleasures
brings you face-to-face with poverty.”
(Proverbs 14:23 TPT)
You have to wall-the-walk not just talk-the-talk. God doesn’t want us just talking about our faith and mind-mapping our dreams. We have to live it out. This verse also tells us that our hard work should be for a greater purpose, not to just get rich and indulge. Consider, how do you plan to bless others through your success?
It’s great to have a goal that you are working toward, but the truth is that the going gets tough sometimes and there will be seasons where you feel like giving up. Here are some Bible verses about persevering to get you through.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything….Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.“
(James 1:2-4, 12 NIV)
See the challenge as an opportunity to grow as a person. You will be stronger on the other side of the obstacle. Keep going!
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
(1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
Be diligent. You may not be physically training. You could be studying at university. Whatever you are doing, dedicate yourself to your work. Be consistent. Be intentional. Remember you are working for an Eternal prize.
Whilst a key Proverb and a Bible verse can offer some direction, there are few things as powerful as the testimony of someone else. Here is a Bible story that follows one person’s success as a result of honouring God with their best work.
When I think of stories in the Bible where we see an example of someone working hard and persevering under trial, I think of Joseph in the Old Testament. You may know him as the guy who had a coat of many colours. Well he was the ‘goody-two-shoes’ of the family. He was his Dad’s favourite. His brothers were super jealous of him so they threw him in a well to die. In the end, they decided to sell him as a slave to the Egyptians so they could make some cash. When Joseph arrived in Egypt, rather than wallow in his misery as a slave, Joseph worked incredibly hard. Have a read:
“The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.”
(Genesis 39:2-6)
But there was some serious workplace sexual harassment! Potiphar’s wife begged him every day to sleep with her. When he refused her for the umpteenth time, she got him into trouble saying that he was trying to sleep with her. So he finds himself thrown into a hole a second time and ends up in prison – for something he didn’t even do. But once again, his attitude, perseverance and his hard work pays off.
“While Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.”
(Genesis 39:20-23)
Being in prison wasn’t easy. He was forgotten and yet he continued to use his gifts. Skip ahead a few years and Joseph’s gifts see him rescuing Egypt from 7 years of famine. Pharoah makes him his right-hand man and puts him second in charge over all of Egypt! This enables him to reconcile with his brothers and live in freedom. If that isn’t a powerful Bible story about the testament of hard work and determination in the midst of trials, I don’t know what is!
Commit whatever you do to the Lord and He will make it happen (Proverbs 16:3). I have always loved this Scripture. Whatever you’re working on at the moment, commit it to God. The Bible literally says if you do this, He will make a way. God will make it happen! Whenever I am starting a new job or setting my yearly goals, I always pray to God that it won’t be done in my will or in my strength but that my hard work will be in partnership with him.
Getting organised and making a plan are simple ways to help you achieve your goals. I’ve created some To-Do- Lists to help you stay focused. They have Bible verses on them to remind you to keep the main thing the main thing. You can check them out here.
You have got this!
In Christ’s Love,
Nicola @trustintheword
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