I once heard a Christian say that when he arrives in heaven he does not expect not hear “well done, good and faithful servant,” as much as “well tried.” He does not mean that God will be impressed by a reckless succession of rash attempts at self-grandiosity. He does not mean that God will laud him for projects he began with great passion before losing interest and becoming distracted by the next big thing. No, he means only that he believes God will reward him for his constant attempts to seek and do what He commands. He expects that though in the final accounting his accomplishments may add up to little, his attempts at faithfulness will add up to much.

There are many things we begin with great energy and many projects we undertake with great enthusiasm. Convicted by the preaching of the Word or persuaded by our reading of providence, we determine that we will make a substantial change to our lives or embark on a ministry that will bless others. We attempt little things, big things, and things in-between. And though some of them succeed some of the time, many of them do not. Though a few of them grow up to become big things, far more of them remain tiny things or soon enough become former things.
A man longed to create a ministry through his local church that would serve the residents of a long-term care home. This was surely a good and noble desire and he embarked upon it with great gusto. But though he labored diligently, he received few opportunities to meet with people in that home or to care for them. And though he told other believers about it, he learned that few of them had interest in joining him. He pressed on for a time, but eventually surrendered to the inevitable and determined he would invest his time and energy in other forms of service. And though this ministry was by most measures unsuccessful, I am convinced God will proudly say to him, “Well tried.”
A woman who was dedicating her life to raising her children wished to supplement her family’s income, so began a part-time business. Her motives were good and so was her plan. She began to work around the family’s schedule, getting up a few minutes early, staying up an hour late, sending some emails during the kids’ quiet time. The business grew at first but then stagnated. The business generated a bit of income, but only a bit—not enough to help in a substantial way or even to justify her time. And so she folded it up. Was this a failure? In one sense it may have been since the business had to be wound down, but in another sense it was not, for the woman did no wrong and committed no sin. For whatever reason, God’s providence directed that the business would not thrive or succeed. But surely she, too, will hear, “Well tried.”
Missionaries who set out to foreign lands but soon have to return. Pastors who found churches that fail to grow. Authors who pour their hearts out on the page but sell few copies of their books. Young people who start a Christian group on campus but have no one show up. I suspect that with an honest accounting you’d have to admit that your life is much like mine in that it is marked by all manner of failure—failure in the home, failure in the church, failure in the neighborhood, failure in the workplace. And if not full-out failure, just plain mediocrity, a lack of success, a lack of great triumphs. But surely part of the reason we fail much is that we attempt much. Surely part of the reason we see so many mediocre results is that we at least have the courage to try. The only way to guard against all failure is to attempt nothing at all. But that, of course, is its own form of failure.
Our God-given goal in life is not to succeed at all we attempt. It is good to succeed, of course, and we should not laud failure as if it is nobler than success. But it is God who is sovereign over all of our affairs and his concern is not so much that we succeed or fail but that we grow in godly character. What matters to God is not our plaudits and accolades, but our conformity to Christ. And the fact is that though God shapes us through our successes, he often does so even more through our failures. It is through failures that we so often learn our finitude, through our failures that we so often gain humility, through our failures that we so often put off many vices and put on many graces. God is at work in us even when it’s hard to see how he may be at work through us.
The day will come when we will stand before the Lord to give an account of how we used our gifts, talents, time, energy, enthusiasm, and everything else God has graciously bestowed upon us. Failure would be to admit that not only did we do nothing, but that we attempted nothing. Success would be to recount those things we dreamed of and prayed for and attempted, even if they led to no great results. For surely in the mind of God, faithfulness is its own accomplishment, faithfulness marked by attempts to do those things that delight his heart. Surely it is his joy to commend us for successes and failures alike: “Well tried, good and faithful servant.”

This week Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Thomas Nelson Bibles. They are giving away five copies of the Timeless Truths Bible.
About the Timeless Truths Bible:
The Christian faith is founded upon unchanging, timeless truth. From the days of the early church until the day of Christ’s return, all of Christianity proclaims that “Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). This is our unchanging and unceasing confession upon which all our hope and all our joy rests.
The Timeless Truths Bible encourages you through the always timely wisdom of those who came before us. Devotional notes and commentary from trusted theologians and pastors from the second century up to the twentieth will stir your affections. The ancient creeds and confessions of the faith will grow your understanding of what we believe—and have always believed. And artwork created throughout the history of Christianity will deepen your worship of the one we call Lord.
Features include:

Devotional and theological commentary for every chapter of the Bible from notable figures throughout church history including Irenaeus, Augustine, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, and John Calvin
46 full-page biographies of church leaders
Text from some of the creeds and confessions of the Christian faith that have shaped our beliefs for generations, including the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Westminster Catechism
Full-color tip-in pages of artwork from the history of Christianity

Experience timeless wisdom for life today that is entrusted to you for tomorrow.
Enter for your chance to win one of five copies here.
Entries accepted from February 2, 2024, at 9 AM Eastern until February 9, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern. Open to US residents only. Visit thomasnelsonbibles.com/challies-sweepstakes to enter and read all sweepstakes rules.  

This week the blog is sponsored by Reformed Free Publishing Association. Today’s post is written by William Boekestein, author of the  new book, Finding My Vocation: A Guide for Young People Seeking a Calling. William is a pastor and husband. He and his wife have four children: a college student, two high schoolers, and a middle schooler. He previously worked in residential construction and also taught in a Christian school. William has written numerous other books including Glorifying and Enjoying God: 52 Devotions through the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
What should I do with the rest of my life?
That’s a huge question, especially if you are young. You might have half a century or more of life in front of you. And the choices you make now can powerfully shape how those years are spent. A big chunk of those years will involve work, whether in the home or out in the world. You want your work to mean something. You don’t have to be rich or famous. But you were made to be productive, to impact God’s world for good (Gen. 1:28). 
At the same time, you can’t pin all your hopes on success in the workforce. Like all of life after the fall, work is “subjected to futility” (Rom. 8:20). It is vital that you understand what work can do for you, and others, and recognize its limitations. This is complicated! And if you consider all the options available to you, and the changing job market and uncertain economic future, trying to follow God’s plan for your work life can be intimidating, even scary. 
Is there anything I can do to prepare for my future?
There is! And the biblical doctrine of vocation can help. Vocation is another word for “calling.” Each of us must learn to “lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him” (1 Cor. 7:17). God has called you to do something special. And, while you don’t have to know exactly what that is, there is much you can do, right now, to get ready to flourish in that calling. 
Scripture has a lot to say about working well. And those who do these things position themselves to succeed in the world, under God’s blessing. William BoekesteinShare
I wrote Finding My Vocation: A Guide for Young People Seeking a Calling, to help you do three things.
Ponder vocation: this biblical doctrine can liberate you from the false fear that only certain people have special occupations. Vocation teaches us that all work is good when done with hearty faith in God, in a moral occupation, and pursued to the glory of God and with an eye to the good of your neighbor. Work is not just how you get by in life but how you truly change the world, one faithful step at a time. 
Prepare for your vocation: you don’t have to know what your career will be; I certainly didn’t when I was young. You just need to gain wisdom, cultivate character, and develop necessary skills that will, with God’s blessing, give you something truly valuable to offer to the world. Along with developing your “career capital,” you need to learn how to choose wisely from the myriad of career choices you face. And the Bible gives practical guidance for doing this. 
Practice the principles of vocation: whether you are a student, entry-level worker, or in the early days of what might be your lifetime career, you need to practice the principles of vocation. Scripture has a lot to say about working well. And those who do these things position themselves to succeed in the world, under God’s blessing. 
As you consider your calling, be encouraged: you are living in an amazing time and place. You have opportunities that many people throughout history and around the world today never dreamed about. And trusting in Christ, armed with a proper vocational outlook, and encouraged by wisdom from a host of believers who have pondered this subject, you have every reason to anticipate a great future!
You can purchase your copy of Finding My Vocation: A Guide for Young People Seeking a Calling here. Subscribe to the Reformed Free Publishing Association email list on their website homepage to be notified of sales, news, and upcoming children’s book releases.