iWork4Him PowerThought

Have you ever had a coworker who seems to get all the breaks and suddenly, the green-eyed monster of envy rears its ugly head? Envy is birthed out of comparing our lives to someone else's and being dissatisfied with the difference. But here's the thing: comparison is a dangerous game. When you become preoccupied with watching someone else's life, you miss the things that God wants to do in your life. Proverbs 14:30 says, "A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones." You see, jealousy and envy will slowly destroy you and destroy the good and gracious plans that God has in store for your life. So, next time you find yourself silently judging, critiquing, or being envious of someone at work, try what Paul suggests in Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep."

There is a trick that some realtors use when they are showing a property or doing an open house: they put a batch of cookies in the oven right before the potential buyer comes through the door. The buyer is then met with the comforting aroma of warm, gooey cookies which give them a sensation of home. Good smells draw people in and invite them to stay awhile. 2 Corinthians 2:16 in the Passion Translation says, "Through our yielded lives he spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere we go. We have become the unmistakable aroma of the victory of the Anointed One to God – a perfume of life to those being saved." What aroma is your life giving off to the people you work with? Not sure?

Here's a trick. Spend some time praying before work each day, and the aroma of Christ will fill your life.

Have you ever heard the old adage, "you have two ears and one mouth, so you should listen twice as much as you speak?" Well, it's true! Nobody likes to be run over with somebody else's words! James 1:19 says it this way, "Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak." What is your speaking to listening ratio? Do you tend to overrun the conversation, or do you wait to hear what other people have to say? When we take the time to ask thoughtful questions and genuinely listen to the answer, the person we are talking to feels valued and understood. Find one coworker or client at your job today and ask them how they are really doing. Then wait for the real answer… the one that goes deeper than just "fine." You may be surprised by what you find out!

When was the last time you pushed yourself to do something that made you uncomfortable at work - whether volunteering to learn a task outside of your usual job duties, offering to take on a new project, or making friends with another employee? Moving outside of your comfort zone may feel awkward or stressful at first, but it is also the best way to grow! And in order to become a mature person – personally, professionally, and spiritually – we absolutely MUST grow! William S. Burroughs once said, "When you stop growing, you start dying." So, ask yourself, is your work ethic alive and growing? How about your family life? How about your spiritual life? This week, challenge yourself to find one thing that you can do to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and into your growth zone!

How do you define success? Being promoted? Achieving a certain number of social media followers? Reaching a particular income level? Well, Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines it simply as, "a favorable or desired outcome." Take a moment today and consider how God's desired outcome looks different than the world's. In Matthew 22, Jesus tells a lawyer there are two main things we should desire in life… and they have nothing to do with financial status, power, or position! He said, "you shall love the lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… and shall love your neighbor as yourself." What kind of desired outcome are you pursuing at work: the world's version of success that centers on personal gain? Or God's, which is about honoring Him and loving those around you?

God is up to something. He is not idly sitting by up in the Heavens, uninterested and uncaring about the matters of earth. He is intimately involved. Luke 12:7 says that "He even counts every hair on your head!" And as if it isn't already crazy enough that the Lord of All cares about our day-to-day lives, He doesn't stop there. He asks us to join Him in His work! Let me say that again: the Maker of Heaven and Earth wants to partner with YOU! What an invitation! You have the chance to be part of what God is doing in your workplace, neighborhood, and friend group. Have you said 'yes'? Or have you left God knocking on the door with the invitation in his hand? Don't miss out on this opportunity. Don't let another day pass you by without asking Jesus what he wants to accomplish through you today.

We live in a busy world. If we aren't in a meeting, or working on a project, or going to an appointment – we are looking at our phones, or answering emails, or hopping on a video conference. Technology has made work accessible ALL. THE. TIME. Not just from nine to five. But as Mahatma Gandhi once said, "there is more to life than increasing its speed." So, how about you? Are you running so fast that you are missing the things God has in store for your day? Try intentionally slowing down and scheduling in blank space on your calendar. When you do, you may be surprised by the connections and conversations you are able to have. When we make time for people, the Lord opens incredible ministry opportunities. Who does God want you to speak to today?

When you have a major decision to make or a faced with a "fork in the road" in your career, whose opinion do you seek out first? Do you ask your friends? Your partner? Do you make a list of pros and cons? Do you just avoid it? Although we've all probably done each of these things, there is a BETTER way: ask the one who already knows everything about your past, present, and future. When we get on our knees and seek God's opinion first, He leads us towards the best decision. So, next time you are faced with a tough choice, pray, read God's word, and pay attention to the confirmations and affirmations that come through Christ Followers in your life. Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." So, stop worrying, and start praying – He will take care of you.

Have you had a performance review in the last year or two? If you have, how did you do? Did you need improvement? Did you meet expectations? OR did you EXCEED expectations? Because here's the thing: when you do good at work, people notice. Your quality of work is, in itself a witness to who God is… a God of goodness, of care, and of EXCELLENCE. Colossians 3:23 says, "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Because the thing is, God is interested in good business, good profit, good attitudes, good character development, and meeting your employee needs. And when we connect God's passion for people with God's passion for quality and excellence the line between the sacred and the secular dissolves and the secular BECOMES sacred. How are you going to pursue excellence for the Lord at work this week?

If I had one hundred dollars for every time someone said, "I want my life to have a purpose, so I am thinking about quitting my job to go work in a church or Christian nonprofit" I would be a very, very rich man. There is a myth that has been circulating through theological communities for decades: that in order to have a Kingdom impact, you have to work in a four-walls church, a ministry, or a foreign mission field. But Psalm 139 in the Message translation says, "Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? To be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there!" The Holy Spirit resides inside of YOU, and that means that wherever you are – THAT is your mission field. So where you work, doesn't matter nearly as much as WHY you work. How can you work for the Lord today?