There is nothing wrong with being a hard worker. However, sometimes no matter how hard we work the job is just too big for us to get it accomplished on our own.
Romans 4:4-5 (MSG)
4-5 If you’re a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don’t call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it’s something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.
Apostle Paul is addressing here, in the book of Romans, that very point. There were many people and religious people of the day trusting in their religion or their works to make them right with God. He is letting them know that redemption is a gift from God. He told them nothing they could ever do on their own, would be able to close the gap between God and His creation.
Trusting in God’s ability to set things right is what makes us right, with God. In the natural this goes contrary to our makeup. Our pride does not want us to take anything we did not earn. Reuniting ourselves with our Creator is an impossible task to accomplish by our works. We must have faith and trust in Him and in what He did in order for us to be in right standing with God. Faith in Him is the only thing that saves us.
The Bible says we should be diligent in everything we do, as if we were working for Him. When we do our earthly jobs we should do our very best. Not only is this a good witness but a command from God. However, no amount of work we could ever do can get us in right standing with God. That job is just too big for us to do on our own.
It is what He did and the sacrifice He made, that sets things right between us and Him. When we trust in God’s gift, Jesus and His sacrifice, we are once again connected with our Creator. We can rest in Him because He paid the price for our redemption and freedom.