How can I find satisfaction in my work? (Part 2)
Who are we really working for? (2)
Obeying God
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? Esther 4:14-15
Esther was a Jewish orphan living in the land of Persia (an empire that streched from India to Ethiopia) after her people were taken into captivity from Jerusalem. Raised by her cousin Mordecai, she lived during the time of Persia's King Xerxes.
During King Xerxes's reign, an edict was sent out to bring all the virgins from the surrounding regions to the king's palace to replace Queen Vashti who found disfavour with the King and was deposed. Esther was one of the young women taken and was ultimately selected to be the next queen.
Mordecai had a high-ranking position in the goverment that allowed him to learn of a plot by Haman, an official of the king, to kill of the Jews. The only way this edict would not be carried out was if Esther asked for an audience with the king to request that the plot be abandoned on her behalf. However, to request an audience before the king was a serious matter. If he refused to give her audience, the penalty was immediate death.
It was at this time that Esther made her famous statement, " If I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16). Esther realized this could be the reason God created her- to save her people from destruction. However, out of concern for Esther, Mordecai explained the situation to her: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish" (Esthers 4:14). Mordecai was giving her a choice: Either she would be used by God or someone else would be used to save their people.
Everyday you and I are given a choice in your workplace . Are you willing to be the person God uses to impact the future destiny of a people? Many of us are silent Christians simply letting the status quo reign while we sit watching. Who knows-you may have been created for such a time as this to be a catalyst to stand in the gap for some situation in your workplace, community or nation.
Be faithful to your calling. Just Obey His will..
How can I find satisfaction in my work? (Part 1)
Somebody said, " I like work. I enjoy and love my job. I could sit and do it all day". but most of people don't have that luxury. Our sense of personal worth is closely connected to a feeling that we are accomplishing something purposeful with our lives. Because of that, work and a satisfying life are inseperable. But unfortunately, work doesn't always give us that sense of satisfaction. What should be personally fulfilling is more often a drain on us physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.
If you are a factory worker, an executive, a professional, a single parent juggling two roles, or any other laborer, your struggles are in many ways unique. Yet in many other ways they are similar. this article focuses on the elements we all have in common and offers four principles for helping us to find satisfaction
1. Know who you're working for.
2. Put your job to work for you
3. Keep work in its place
4. Look for a better fit
1. KNOW WHO YOU'RE WORKING FOR
During my high school years, I worked for the owner of three small motels on Treasure Island, Florida. Sound like paradise? It wasn't. I cut grass, trimmed bushes, and pulled more weeds than I care to remember. It was a part time job, and the pay was low.
one day I figured that I had enough experience pulling stubborn weeds out of gravel parking areas in the Florida heat. So, instead of reporting in for work, I picked up the phone and called my boss. I told him that I wouldn't be coming in. I quit.
After I hung up the phone, I had a feeling that I hadn't done the right thing-then my father found out what I had done, and he confirmed my feelings. I called my boss back and apologized. I also told him that I would work a few more weeks until he could find someone to replace me.
How did I get to the point of quitting that job? As I think back, a number of reasons come to mind. The work was repetitive, the conditions were hot and sweaty, the boss (though not Captain Hook) didn't seem very appreciative, and I didn't see that I was gaining much for my labor-either in money or in personal satisfaction. and besides, I wasn't working to support a family; it was just a job to give me extra spending money.
My motivations for working have changed since those days. Unfortunately, though, my reasons have not always been the best-and I have felt like quitting more than once.
"Unless you can make a connection between what you do all day and what you think God wants you to be doing, you will never find ultimate meaning in your relationship with God" D.Sherman
What about you? How is your attitute when the work loses its appeal, the boss seems to critical, co-workers get on your nerves, your family doesn't appreciate how hard you work for them, you don't get the raise you want , and the work become boring, repetitive, and seem rather meaningless? When you don't feel that you are getting much for your work, it's hard to keep giving your all, isn't it?
But there is much more to our jobs than what meets the eye. We're not really working for our supervisor at the store, the office, the factory, the construction site, or any other workplace.
Who are we really working for? Ultimately, we are working for the Lord. He is the boss's Boss, the supervisor's Supervisor, the foreman's Foreman, the manager's Manager. That may be hard to remember as we report to work each day. But if we keep it in mind, our attitude will be transformed.
God is an employer who has our best interest at heart. He's not out to get the most work out of us at the lowest wages. He is concerned about you and me, and He want to help us in every aspect of our work. The reason He cares about our work- and he cares deeply- is because our actions on the job reflect our inner character and our level of devotion to Him.
We were created to reflect God's nature (Gen.1:26-27), and we were given abilities to use for His glory. Like Him, we are workers. He worked to create the universe, and Jesus said, "My father has been working until now, and I have been working" ( John.5:17). Man and woman were created to use their hands and their heads to master the earth and make it productive (Gen.1:28; 2:15-20). Like those first two employees, We are to function in Godlike way, faithfully working to care for what has been put under our control.
To be Continue
Transforming Your Workplace
This, then, is how you should pray: "Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Mat. 6:9-10
Transforming A Workplace
Do not confirm any longer to the pattern of this world, but be tranformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2
Ask God to be a transformer in your workplace and city. So, get ready to be the transformers!
-Sumber: TGIF
Building Relationship
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All people saw this and began to mutter, " He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner'". Luke 19:5-7.
Jesus modeled four things when He lived on Earth that allowed Him to impact other people's lives. I call these the four Bs of tranformation.
First, Jesus built a relationship with people. In the marketplace, you will rarely be able to have impact on a person without first building a relationship with him or her. The old saying "people don't care what you know until they know how much you care" is especially true in the workplace. Jesus modeled this in His life every day of His public ministry.
Seconds, Jesus blessed people. He tried to meet the physical needs that people had. Many times He healed people and then told them to go and sin no more. He listened to their concerns.
Third, Jesus began praying for others. He prayed for deliverance for people who were demon possessed. He prayed that unbelievers would know the father. He even prayed for Lazarus to come back from the dead.
Fourth, Jesus brought the kingdom of God into peoples's lives. He invited people to believe in Him as the Saviour of the world and to partake of eternal life.
I once decided to test this model with an acquaintance. I intentionally refused to talk to this person about Jesus until I had accomplised the first three steps in our retionship. after I had fulfilled the first three steps, I presented Christ to my friend. Because the soil was prepared, he receid Christ immediately.
As you consider your ministry at work, consider these four stages of relatinoship building before you present Christ to others. You will find that first fruit of this process will be great.
-from TGIF, Os Hillman.
Future-Reward People
O lord, by your hand save me from such men, from men, from men of this world whose reward in this life (Psalm 17:14)
There are two type of people in the world: those activities are designed to generate a reward in this lifetime, and those who life to generate a reward when they meet our Lord in Heaven. Unfortunately, not every Christian models the latter type.
How do we judge whether a person is living for the future reward versus the earthly reward? there are several key indicators.
First, future-reward people tend to be givers. They make their time and resources available to be channeled for the kingdom purposes. They reallize that their sowing will ultimately be rewarded at the judgement seat of Christ, where what they have done on earth will be judged and rewarded by God (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Future-reward people also tend to make obedience-based desicions. they don't make decisions based on their perceived outcome. They realize that a decision based on obedience alone may not result in an immediate outcome. Jesus was a future-reward person. He was obedient to the cross even though He knew the immediate outcome would be His own death.
Future-reward situation show up in daily life in a number of ways. Perharps a person has wronged you and God calls you to forgive and even bless that person without expectation of his or her response. perharps God has called you to sow money into a ministry or another person's life without expectation of return from that person. Perharps you have been called to serve another person in another capacity without expectation of any earthly reward. The situations we might encounter are unlimited.
Are you living a life based on future reward or short-term reward? today, evaluate how you make decisions and how you allocate resources. This will reveal wheter or not you are a future-reward Christian.