iWork4Him PowerThought

Is God building another testimony for you, through your workplace? Often, hard times come in our work, and we're called to respond as a Christ-follower. Not react with fear, self-pity, anger, resentment or push-back. But with a keen sense and trust that God is sovereign in our work. That He may have brought something to an end, for His Glory, not our punishment. So how about YOU? .... Are YOU going through a hard time at work? And if you are, how are you responding? We recommend first taking it to prayer, and asking the Lord what He wants you to know about the situation, how you can grow from it, and what does he want you to do next, for His glory? Then take some time and pray for those you work alongside for the tough time they are going through too.

Have you ever tried to ignore God and His direction in your work or career? Tried to go your own way, and kept running into roadblocks, un-ending NO's and shut doors? Sometimes in our career, we try to LOGIC our way towards our calling, to where WE want to be, but God has His plans. Remember the Israelites? It took them 40 YEARS to make a 14 day journey. That's 14, 600 days of blindness, vs. 14 days of obedience. That's A LOT of resistance. So, the next time you're being led somewhere you don't want to go, try praying about it, asking several devoted friends to join you in praying for an answer. If you're paying attention, God is probably speaking through others to you as well, to guide you. You can fight God every step of the way, but we don't recommend it! We challenge you today, to PRAY your way through your career options and challenges.

Have you ever met a salesperson or a marketer who offered you something that seemed too good to be true… and then it turns out it WAS too good to be true? Although overpromising may increase sales and conversions on the front end, underdelivering on those promises alienates customers and creates a bad reputation. Similarly, overpromising and underdelivering in your relationships at work and at home causes division, disappointment, and distrust. Proverbs 11:3 says, "The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin." Integrity is more than being honest – it's matching your actions to your words in a way that honors God and those around you. Are there any areas of your life that you are overpromising and underdelivering?

Have you ever encountered a salesperson that wouldn't stop pushing you to buy an item because they were on commission? It's obvious in these situations that the salesperson is more interested in reaching their numbers than about meeting the needs of the customer. They have become producers rather than servers. As followers of Christ, we can end up doing the same thing when we focus only on our output at work, rather than caring about the people at work. Philippians 2:4 says, "Let each of us look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." Are you a producer? Or are you a server? Ask God how you can serve the people around you today – whether in your work, your home, or your neighborhood. Because you may be the only Jesus they ever meet.

How many times have we said to ourselves. "I wish I had time to go on a mission trip." Well guess what, you DO! Your workplace IS your mission field. Your daily commute IS your mission travel. And your workplace has been crafted perfectly by God, specifically tailored to you, and your giftings. We can all begin to view our workplace and every co-worker as "the mission". We can prepare, pray, plan and then serve our colleagues in the same way we would as if we hopped on a plane and flew to another country. Charles Spurgeon the Reformed preacher said "Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor." So which are YOU? What would it take for you to start tomorrow, to shift your mindset and intentionally serve your workplace as YOUR mission field?

When God created Adam, he didn't place him in the Garden of Eden for an extended vacation – No! God created A JOB for him. In Genesis 2 it says, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to WORK it and TAKE CARE of it… and the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them..." Of course, God could've easily named the animals He created, but instead He CHOSE to invite Adam into the work He was doing. In the same way, God has created a job for you, and has invited you to work TOGETHER with Him in it! Because when we work in partnership with God, our jobs become more than just hustle… they become holy. How can you invite God into your work today?

Have you ever looked at your current job and wondered, "how did I end up here?" The good news is, you didn't end up there on accident! God has strategically placed you exactly where you are for a REASON – to share the good news of Jesus Christ with your coworkers, employees, bosses, and clients! 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, "We are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us." So next time that you feel burnt out or bored with your job, remember that you are an ambassador for Christ – sent to your workplace to make an appeal on God's behalf! For He created your work, He ordained it, He orchestrated it, and He is the one who will sustain you in it. So, take heart! Your job isn't an accident…. It's an anointing.

The workplace is the largest mission field in the world, yet many Christ-followers don't engage in their calling as missionaries because they don't know how to share their faith at work. Fear around rejection, offending someone, or saying the wrong thing are just a few of the barriers that prevent believers from bringing the good news of the Gospel to their coworkers, employees, and clients. But here's a tip: the most effective way to share your faith is simply to share your own story. Jesus often spoke in stories, called parables, when he was teaching. Why? Because they are a relatable carrier for important truths! Your testimony is no different! When you talk about God's faithfulness in your life, you are sharing the Gospel. So, who can you share your story of faith with this week at work?

Growing up, I lived in Minnesota. During spring, we had this phrase that, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb" meaning it would start cold and snowy and transition gently into spring... but usually it was the opposite. "In like a frozen lamb and out like a roaring lion." Life can be like that too. The transition from cold winter period of our lives – in other words some dark and cold experiences - into a period of new life and growth and perhaps a new assignment can be trying... but God is with you. He has you right where He wants you and He is preparing you for something great. Your life - right where you are, right at your current job, is critical to God's plan for the redemption of this world. He is shaping you to be more effective. Embrace the cold, for spring is coming!

Priorities. .... Have you ever thought about if you're REALLY living your priorities? .... When's the last time you stopped and did an inventory of WHERE you're spending your time? .... Where we spend our time is the surest barometer of where our heart and priorities lie. Webster's defines priorities as something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives. As Christ followers, we're given our priorities by our Lord, not the world. .... Andy Stanley says it this way: "We don't drift in good directions. We discipline and prioritizeourselves there." Are YOU disciplining and prioritizing yourself in God's direction today? ....