Peace in Our Work

The concept of work kicks off the Bible where in Genesis 1 God created for six days, saw everything He had made, and it was very good. In Genesis 2, God placed Adam in the Garden to work it and take care of it. Psalm 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands. Proverbs holds an abundance of caution against laziness, Proverbs 12:11 Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense. Proverbs 13:4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. 

Have you ever had that job that felt like you were just a servant? Colossians 3 tells us that even as a servant we’re to do our best work, Verses 23-24 in the Amplified Bible: Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [greatest] reward. It is the Lord Christ whom you [actually] serve. From scripture it is pretty clear that we are called to work, though that may look different for everyone, there’s no question that we are called to productive days. 

We’re to use those gifts and talents that God has blessed us with to serve the church, for the Kingdom, but also to work—-plain old everyday work. Each week the average adult spends nearly 40% of our waking hours working. It’s clear that such a large percentage of our time should not be compartmentalized outside of how we live the rest of our lives. Romans 12:1 in The Message is a favorite of mine. So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. We can be on mission for the Kingdom in our everyday work, looking at work as service. 

Daniel is one of the best examples for a Christian working in a secular world. Daniel didn’t get to work in his dream job or start his own business. He worked where he was placed by a conquering nation. However, he didn’t compromise his faith, but stood strong and bold for what he believed. He didn’t conform to the world that he found himself in, but he did use the talents and wisdom that God had gifted him to excel in his position. Daniel could easily have fallen to being at odds with his work, and certainly at odds with his employer, but through his faith, he found peace at work despite the difficult circumstances. And, stress, when was the last time things were so stressful at your job that you literally faced hungry lions or a fiery furnace? That’s definitely a dose of perspective and should encourage us that whatever we face at work, it is only unsurmountable when we attempt to face it in our own power and strength. It’s also rather humbling for those times we don’t stand strong for our convictions, but blend quietly into the culture around us. 

Our Christian virtues—integrity, honesty, honor, commitment, dependability, humility, gratitude, grace in how we treat others, strong work ethic, all the fruits of the Spirit—are not just characteristics we portray on Sunday, but should saturate our Monday-through-Friday selves too. Our work is no more going to be without conflict than our lives, but in the same way we can have that peace that surpasses understanding flowing through our lives, we can have it at work. I’m a long way from the point in my sanctification that it just happens easily, I have to diligently labor at it most days. Some days, it feels like I have to painstakingly carve it out, like I am chiseling out each hold up the mountain. 

After years of just sticking through tough things at work, God blessed me with a Christian boss, which is night and day from Babylon, but he’s just one man among many and there will always be conflict where light engages with the world. I have to remind myself to nip Dale Carnegie’s simple sister sins in the bud, the 3Cs: criticize, condem, and complain, which includes what we like to label venting trying to make it sound healthy. I listen to the Holy Spirit reminding me to respond with grace when someone asks where something is at after I’ve sent three status emails the last few weeks. That doesn’t make it wrong to start your email with the gentle reminder that you’ve addressed this already, but it does mean that you should follow it up with understanding how easy it is to miss an email in the wake of a busy week. I take ownership when one of my team makes a mistake, never throwing them under the bus, because so much grace and mercy was shown to me first. 

I leave myself visual clues around my desk to help me get back on the narrow road when I detour down ‘ol frustration lane. I have sticky notes reminding me that these things are not eternal and the only thing that matters is how I respond. Recently, I came across a quote that is so on target, I immediately put it up in my office. It really sums up how to have peace at work, so I’ll end with it. “If every annoyance can be made to remind me to turn and grip Your hand and ask You, ‘what are You saying through this vexation?’ then, I can turn life’s rough spots into Your vocabulary.” -Frank Laubach