Like so many things in life, it isn’t until we classify a thing as a blessing that we begin to see it as such. Once we see it as a blessing, we can better recognize the need to utilize that blessing in blessing others.
Some folks leap out of bed on Monday morning singing, “Praise God, another Monday!” Others crawl out of bed and murmur, “Oh, God…another Monday…”
Once we embrace the fact that it was God who allowed us to wake up rather than to die in our sleep, and that it’s God who has a plan for our lives – a plan that did NOT include poverty, sleeping away our day, getting high, or practicing our golf swing – we can better comprehend that we are part of the Master’s Plan and had better prepare ourselves for whatever role He may require of us.
In addition, have you ever considered that it was also part of the Master’s Plan that you wake up in the nation in which you DID awaken? What did you have to do with that decision? No, it was God’s will that you arise and shine in the place where you live. God alone wanted you there because He NEEDS you there. You have a job to do right where you are right now. Though we hear many people saying how blessed they are, trust me, we were blessed to be a blessing to others. So, pay it forward!
J.I.Packer, author of “Knowing God,” suggests that we offer this type of conscious, deliberate prayer regarding our work: "Lord, I offer you this. Make what you can of it. I'm doing it the best way I can to serve you and to honor you. Help me to do it as well as I'm capable of doing it. And make it a blessing to other people."
Packer says, “God made us for honest work. And we glorify Him by doing honest work. And pray that God will enable us to do it well and that He will accept it and use it. Use it to make the world a better place than the world would be without it. Then we've done what we can.” He adds, “Ministry means service to other people. And all work, it seems to me, is oriented to the welfare of other people—directly or indirectly…be conscious of your work as service to people by asking the question, how well does this work serve and help people? Once one sees how the work is going to help people, then pray for their blessing through the work…”
Finally, let’s see our work as worship to God. Erase any thoughts you have of worship being reduced to a Sunday morning sing-along in a church building. After all, work IS worship, both words stemming from the same Hebrew root word, “avodah.” On this, Packer said, “God made us for honest work. And we glorify him by doing honest work. And pray that God will enable us to do it well and that he will accept it and use it. Use it to make the world a better place than the world would be without it.”
Start seeing YOUR job as a ministry. It will revolutionize your perspective on work. Even your paycheck will start coming as a surprise as you stop merely making a living and start making a difference in the lives of others.
Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
Workplace Chaplain
http://www.YourTown4Jesus.com
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