April 17, 2008

Take this Job and Love it!

Today’s Truth

Romans 12:11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically (NLT).

Friend to Friend

God uses our work to mold us into who he wants us to be. Working in an insurance office was one of my least favorite jobs while putting my husband through school, but I soon discovered I was evidently not alone in my lack of enthusiasm as I read the following note posted on the office bulletin board:

“If you don’t believe

In the resurrection of the dead

You ought to be here

Five minutes before quitting time!”

Our attitude about our work will determine the success of our work. No job is perfect and no work place is always wonderful, but we can learn to choose our inner attitude about our work regardless of the outer circumstances of our work place. What would happen if you began to view your job as a tool in the hands of God?

Stress comes when we view our job as our main life mission when, in reality, our job is meant to provide some of the tools we need to accomplish our life mission. The apostle Paul writes, “Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the Good News about God’s mighty kindness and love” (Acts 20:24 LB). Paul worked as a tentmaker, a church planter, an author. His purpose never changed, but his work certainly did. Paul was a Christian first and then used his various jobs as ways to live out that purpose.

Instead of searching for another job, we may simply need to choose a different attitude, a new point of view about the job we already have. Envision Jesus standing in the midst of your work place as your real boss and see how your perspective changes.

God uses my work to teach me people skills. Cooperation, fairness, flexibility, humility and patience are relationship skills of a successful worker. Stress comes when we stray from the guidelines God gives us for serving others. Our workplace is not only one of our God-ordained mission fields; it is a classroom for learning to love the unlovable, forgiving the unforgivable and, in short, being “God with skin on”.

God uses my work to teach me how to serve. The way we serve God is by serving others. God wants us to grow spiritually at work by becoming a servant to those with whom we work. It’s easy to serve the people who sit beside us on a pew each Sunday, but a real servant looks for ways to serve co-workers who may or may not ever darken the doors of any church. God asks us to accept others unconditionally, encourage other continually, forgive others freely and help others willingly - in other words, to have his heart of service.

God uses my work to teach me responsibility. Meeting deadlines, completing assigned tasks with excellence, showing respect for co-workers (even the abrasive ones), working without supervision…all valuable life lessons learned on the job. When we try to cut corners, stress steps in and wreaks havoc in our attitude about work. Do you realize the principle that attitudes never sit still. Attitudes constantly move and change. An attitude is a pattern of thinking, a filter through which we view life. We can choose to be honest about our attitude at work and we can choose to change our attitude about work, but most importantly, we can choose to pray for God’s attitude about work. When we can’t change our attitude, the One who lives in us can give us his. Exchanging our attitude for God’s attitude always eliminates stress.

Today, ask God to let you see your job as He sees it. Pinpoint the good things God has accomplished in your life through your work. Pray that He will give you a heart of love for those with whom you work and seek ways to share with them the message of hope and life God offers. In other words, take the job God has given you…and love it.

Let’s pray

Lord, thank You for Your provision through my job. I praise You for the opportunity to serve You and others through my work. Every day, help me to see those in need and reach out to them in Your name.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Now it’s your turn

Consider the ways God uses your job to teach you the valuable life lessons listed below. List specific work circumstances and the lessons you learned in each one.

God uses my work to teach me responsibility. _____________________________________________
God uses people at work to teach me about relationships.____________________________________
God uses my work to teach me how to serve.______________________________________________

Ask yourself the following questions…and be honest:

Do the people I work with see Christ in me?
Do my co-workers even know I am a Christian?
What changes do I need to make in order to show God’s love to the people at work?

More from the Girls

I only worked in that insurance office for a few weeks, but still remember some of the lessons I learned through that job. I was able to rule out being an insurance agent as a possible career. J My dream to be a teacher was solidified. I learned that in order to enjoy the job at all, I would have to choose my attitude every single day. It wasn’t long until the school district offered me a teaching position, but I often think of the time I spent in that office and the lessons I learned. Need help finding a new outlook on your work? “Escaping the Stress Trap” can help. And don’t forget to check out my free Online Bible Study, Light for the Journey.