Musings from yours truly who has both given her best work and that kind of work that comes out from dregs of exhaustion. Lots of tea to spill here, friends. 😂
Once there was this rich woman who had three intelligent, rich, and successful sons. Her birthday was coming up so the three sons, each renowned in their respective industries, wanted to give their mother a rare gift.
Eventually, the long-awaited celebration came and the sons visited their mother's house.
The eldest son gave the mother a luxurious car that only few people in the world had.
Meanwhile, the middle child gave the mother a title to a massive property that will further increase the riches of the mother in real estate.
And the youngest son gave her a parrot that can sing classical songs, learn additional songs over time, and recite a thousand messages from the Bible.
The next morning the sons itched to know who gave their mother the best gift so the eldest one asked which gift was the best she received from them and the mother responded,
"Son, I loved the luxurious car. It's wonderful. But, in my old age, I will no longer travel as much so I will use it quite rarely. I'd prefer to share that with you."
"The property makes a great addition to my existing properties but I am already retired and have enough houses and businesses of my own. I will still find a way to use it and create jobs out of that gift so thank you very much for your thoughtfulness."
"It's hard to choose. But if I have to pick, my favorite is the parrot."
"It was delicious."
YIKES!!! Poor parrot!
Welp, that was disappointing (makes for a funny story... but still disappointing)!
You see, despite the wisdom we think we have, in complete humility we know that we usually miss out on a lot of things. And this is something I have accepted long ago. We will reach the end of our days on Earth still imperfect and that's just how it is.
It's not a surprise that we will not always make the right decision but to make the wrong decision despite the truth being right under our noses is a whole other thing and quite a big miss on our part.
Life's purpose is like that, I think.
We can treat our purpose in life like the poor parrot the mom ate instead of enjoying in her old age or we can know our purpose well now and direct our energy and meaningful efforts to it to reap greater rewards and find real fulfillment. If we depend on our feelings to know what our calling is, we might not sail off the shore for the right reason and so our pursuit for success will later prove to be in vain.
Everything else in life becomes affected by what we deem to be our purpose. Even leisure that we like engaging in can only be enjoyed because we have in our hearts the joy of work well done. Case in point, have you ever enjoyed a holiday meant for resting when you had a stack of homeworks or urgent work projects left unfinished? Ha! No chance, right?! But if our work is one that gives us joy no matter how demanding it is - will we not see it as a gift?
Story time!
For the past six years, I have been mainly working. Not all the jobs I had were enjoyable and even enjoyable jobs have its darkest days. But each one of them I have seen as a gift. And later I will tell you why and how my heart became wired to honor it that way.
The thing is I had to work pretty early to support my college studies and God provided so well in all these seasons in my life up to now that I have graduated for quite some time already, and I am so grateful that a big God sees me and my needs.
Soooo, I thought it would be worth sharing what helped me personally make the best of work - this is not to say I do perfect work, of course, because I do not - but the work I put out there is often the best I can possibly provide and many of the people I have been blessed to work with have taken notice of this which is awesome because it's tied to one of my biggest prayers about work: that people will praise Him when they catch glimpse of what God is doing in my professional life and its fruits. So it gives me great joy when I see people reacting to my work saying "I thank God I am a part of this event!" or "Ms. Christine, I wishI brought my daughter here so she can look up to you." because I know it is not because of my doing but because of God's favor and sovereign control over the results of our hard work.
BUT before anything, just want to put out there that none of these reflect the views, nature, and opinions of any of the organizations I have worked for in the past and currently. These are all personal.
Now, it took me years to learn and apply some of these things and uncover the way how I can work smart with the right attitude at 24. So this is a part of a series (stay tuned!).
Unfortunately, for many of us, even working in our favorite thing in the world becomes arduous and exhausting at some point, and I hope to touch on exactly that kind of an ordeal when what used to make you happy no longer does and instead makes you feel burnt-out, bored, or better than others instead - all results to a destructive attitude to what we have been given to enjoy and use for a bigger purpose.
WORK TIP #1 & 2: KNOW YOUR MASTER
and REMEMBER THAT WORK IS A GIFT (treat it like one!)
It's good to start with an honest and big question: who's your boss?
Before I share the answer I have found to be true. Haven't you ever wondered why we like working in the first place?
In a book I have read titled The Glad Surrender (if my memory serves me right), "Deprived of meaningful work, men and women lose their reason for existence; they go stark, raving mad."
This may not apply to all but, boy, this applies to me to an extent. I need to work in some capacity even if it's non-official work. Otherwise, my mind wanders to things I should not think about or I rest aimlessly.
I have grown to believe that we are wired to work and be productive; and these protect us from temptations and distractions that are unnecessary and downright destructive. Meaningful work at home, in the community, social media, and at the organization we are affiliated with pave the way for good, lasting relationships.
Now, we may not feel like we are a good fit for certain kinds of jobs - for the corporate life for example - but we need to engage in some sort of activity that leads to productivity. And we live life in search for something to do - something I observed!
I have friends who have told me they want to earn money without working but they are also the people I know who always find something meaningful to do during the hours of the day. So basically, yes, if they will choose to admit it, they actually want to work not just in the areas where they want to.
That said, I have come to learn that the desire to work is a healthy one and it is a gift from God.
"What? The job that sucks the life out of me is a gift from the Lord?!?!"
Well, let's take a step back. Job in itself is a gift from God but the environment that surrounds it is obviously affected by many factors and it's challenging when a work environment does not have a loving, good God in the center for people to honor and revere, especially when no one is looking. This is why it's a good thing that we can have a personal relationship with Jesus because it will get us where we need to go despite the nuisances of a deaf world.
Now, how do we know I am not exaggerating when I say work is a gift from the Lord? Well, it says it's from God in Genesis 2:15! And the Bible has been preserved for thousands of years with no wasted words in it.
It says,
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
The mistake many of us make is we think religion is just for Sundays or for religious people. Religion isn't the point. Being religious isn't the point. God is the point of life. Apart from Jesus Christ, there's no happiness that lasts beyond the shallowness of the world because worth of things would only be as good as our mood that shifts like the wind. Work is a constant in the Bible. It's something we should pay dedicated attention to since it is an offering to God and out of sincere work comes abundance. I have plenty of stories about how God rewards and provides bonuses when we have a high view of work for His honor.
The Bible also reveals when work should become a part of a (wo)man's life - before marriage. Even for the world, this makes sense: to build your nest before entering into a life-long commitment. It's not only a sound advice. It's a biblical advice.
Here's my thinking and I'd love to know what you think: if we know that work is from God and we know the weight of God who has given work to man since time immemorial, then we will know it is by nature good.
And so, God will grow what we earn over time and this is something I have constantly seen in all the jobs I had. At His time, He doubled and grew what I originally earned.
Moreover, in Genesis, God's given work to Adam has put man in a position to be a steward of creatures and things he did not create but the Lord did. Work is two in one - a gift and a privilege. God doesn't really need us to take care of anything come to think of it for there isn't anything He cannot do but the fact that He gives us an active role in this life shows that we are called for a purpose, that we are part of His family, and our gifts that He too has so graciously given are for that.
So whether we manage money, content, computer service requests, inquiries, or people, we ought to take care of all of 'em well because we are stewards of the resources God has put under our care for His purpose. Ephesians 2:10 says,
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
We are created not just for any type of work but for good works that God in His sovereignty prepared long ago. And it's up to us to use our free will to actually make the most out of it by offering God our best. This is why when my to-do list (and people who know me knows this has around 20 things in it per day), and I feel like I am not enjoying it I am reminded of who my boss is and that my work is meaningful work - not just something I am doing just because. And after that my heart feels happier while working - be it at home or in the workplace.
More than just being a matter of perspective, enjoying work is also a matter of knowing and pursuing the truth. If we want to have the perspective that we just work until we die and that's it, isn't it a shame to later find out it's God's gift to us and He has given it so we can make a positive impact and difference in our short life on Earth?
3. VIEW THINGS AS MATTERS OF THE HEART
I have experienced a lot of curveballs in all the past years of my life working and they get more challenging each time but they are all manageable which is why one of the big bosses I had before told me one time we were brainstorming in his office, "How come you are confident it can get done and this other guy I talked to separately says none of it is possible?"
Easy, it's because God gives us discernment which is good work for a good God and which work brings harm.
Now, what about issues at work? How do we handle those? Though it's hard to do, it's good to remember that behind every issue, ill feeling, unfulfilled commitment, wrong decision, etc., there's a person behind it. I am working with humans (even if some of them may act like they are made of steel, they still feel and we should honor it whether they know about it or not). It's not about the credit. It's about being accountable for others.
One of the biggest projects I have handled in my entire career that impacted many people and had a lot of funding involved simply boiled down to a matter of the heart because people involved were getting upset with one another (and it was resolved quite well!) so I say with confidence that there will be times when we will be disappointed with the people we work with on the ground, our coworkers, our earthly bosses, and even the people we serve if we are in a service-oriented kind of job. And we'd think it's so-and-so's fault or that it's a technical issue. To make things worse, we may make the mistake of quitting or ending it where the conflict rose. But most often than not, what I have observed is that it's a matter of the heart so we should not be rash.
Even petty work issues are a matter of the heart. Exhibit A: Person B shared a complaint about Person C's request because Person B did not like the way Person C asked it so bosses talk about how to resolve the misunderstanding when in reality it was only a matter of ego and a matter of the heart. Exhibit B: Person B always uses her free time to chat about Person A with friends because they want to highlight other people's shortcomings though it brings no fruit. Isn't that a matter of the heart in that they cannot find satisfaction in things that are good?
We often get disappointed because we usually have our own expectations that other people simply won't have in their radar. And sometimes we have the wrong habits as well. Other times, we make the mistake of not making the right expectations that take everyone's best interest into account simply because we refuse to and so we become disappointed. In dealing with moments of disappointment over people's actions whether they have intended to do something that hurts us or not, I have learned that my real master doesn't change so why should my attitude towards work change? The master is Jesus. If I am letting my circumstances at work define my attitude toward work, I am putting someone else on the throne when there's nothing worth serving and offering my life to - not money, not my self-will, and not anyone. It's only Jesus I should seek to serve.
Matthew 6:24 says,
No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other....
This is the best deal ever don't you think? Because we spend more hours at work than we do at home and it's tricky when work becomes your idol. No one apart from God can guarantee anything in life so it's the best decision to acknowledge Jesus as our boss and master. So when we ask ourselves, "Where is my life going to? To whom are all these hours for? To what am I pouring my life into?" It's good to have a clear vision of who your boss is.
So when disappointed, I remind myself that at the end of the day it's between God and I.
Jesus knows if I used the gifts He has given me well. He knows if I glorified Him or not, especially when no one was looking. He knows how many hours I actually work. He knows what thoughts I harbored about nice and difficult people at work. He knows when I am hurt and He knows when I have given my best. He knows if I am cheated. And, of course, He is the one sustaining me to perform well and serve others in truth and love. Micah 6:14 says,
You will eat but not be satisfied; your stomach will still be empty. You will store up but save nothing, because what you save I will give to the sword.
Even satisfaction over work becomes affected when we do not serve the right master. This is why there are those who do good work and earn enough, and yet something's missing. Recently, I got this global recognition at work (woohoo!) and while wonderful in nature, had I not been in Christ, what is it for? What is there to it? It's a fantastic credential to have but ultimately it's God's favor (should He want me to use it in the future) that will determine if I am to unlock a bigger career opportunity through that. It will not depend on the sole award itself. As it is right now, the award is meaningful because it's a testament to the unstoppable grace of Jesus in my work that I got that at such a young age in the middle of one of the hardest times in history despite big competitors. And, just like that and in gazillion other ways, His grace never fails for any of us... we just have to have a willing heart to marvel at His hand in our lives.
I have learned that victories along with work and moments of weakness are best lifted up to God because these are canvasses for God's strength and power. When God grants us favor and victory, I have learned that the glory is His and that's the best way to handle successes because the power to make wealth comes from God. If we take Him out of the equation, everything is meaningless, in vain, and - to be honest - fleeting. We'll just always be out and about pouring all our attention and strength for the next thing until we are no more. Deuteronomy 8:18 says,
But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
WORK TIP #4. PAY ATTENTION TO THE QUALITY OF ALL THINGS.
God has generously given us different gifts! But what are the gifts for? It's not to prove ourselves better than the next guy but to glorify God by being of service to those we are called to serve and to accomplish whatever ethical thing we are to cover.
So when we feel tired to work in the morning, it's good to ask ourselves "Did I really need to watch that KDrama for 10 hours? Now I cannot function properly at work!"
"Did I need to set aside that project and browse social media every 30 minutes at work?"
2 Thessalonians 3:11 says,
For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.
Reporting at the office or to the site where we have been called to work does not equate to actual, meaningful work. It's part of the basic terms of work but it's not the whole thing. I once had a coworker who would work so late with me and complain he has so much work when we'll work at night when in reality he would just go around and chat with every single person at the office during the day. It seems silly but it's a real struggle.
Sometimes we need a heart check - maybe we're the problem. I notice that a lot, "Why am I doing so much?" Then I realize, "I am not saying no to requests. I should delegate not because I can't do this work but because the kind of quality - the best possible result - can be achieved within this period of time if I delegate this to someone with more time."
God deserves our best so we need to pick the best strategy also.
WORK TIP #5. SEE THROUGH THE WHOLE THING YOU ARE WORKING ON.
To get to the good outcomes and rewards we are so eager to get, we ought to produce good quality results and outcomes. But more than that we are to see through the entirety of whatever it is we engaged in professionally like Moses. Here's one of the biggest lessons I learned in Exodus 39:43 which says:
"Moses inspected all the work they had accomplished. They had done just as the Lord commanded. Then Moses blessed them."
Like the Blackpink song goes, Moses "played a part" - a big one at that! He didn't peace out after serving God by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt and then staying idle while artisans were building what God commanded them to build to institute the system for sacrifices. Moses saw through the whole thing even during the times when he wasn't the primary worker. He delegated tasks and provided much needed attention to his own role from beginning to end.
When we fool everyone and ourselves included into thinking we are being productive when we are not paying attention to our own deadlines, quality work, or what our colleagues communicate to us, we are volunteering to lack productivity. Galatians 6:5 says,
For each will have to bear his own load.
This is why even when it's inconvenient for me, and a coworker asks me to cover this and that the last-minute and I know I can if I adjust some things around... though I know I will not get the credit, I do it with a light heart in the process because I am not called to be a lone ranger. I am called to be of service to others.
John 13:35 says,
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
While we can freely choose, we are not free from experiencing the consequences of our decisions so I do still experience the downsides of when my impulse gets the best of me. This is why we should not waste our mornings or evenings. We should reserve much of our energy to draw near to Jesus so His love will help us love others well as we get on with our day.
WORK TIP #6. SPEND YOUR FREE TIME WELL.
Sometimes there are days when I just do not really have anything to do after work so instead of doing something that will not really relax me at home and will just give me an aimless kind of rest, I continue on working or reading about the trends and best practices in my field. In turn, I am able to coach anyone less experienced in my line of work. Other friends I have spend that time learning a new skill or taking courses to expand their expertise. Do we do this just so we won't get bored? Of course not! This is to prepare ourselves for the next mission God will send our way.
Why should we expect to receive a bigger role from God when we cannot be trusted with the little things? This is something I ask myself when I expect to get onto the next big thing when I am in fact unable to seal the current project or role He has given me with cherries on top. I ask this when I do not spend time learning the skills I need to move on to the next thing.
There are several times in my career when I enjoyed a bigger role with a better management capacity and rewards because God has made it so that I have been able to manage well the small things purely by His grace and so I became ready to go on a whole new level. It took time and discipline but all along God generously prepares us for the next milestone. Other times, I missed out on certain rewards and now that I look back I realize that it's either because I am called to do something else, the reward wasn't something I needed, or I just wasn't ready to take on the next level.
Other times when I have a more important thing to do especially if it involves meeting people I love and care about, then I leave on time and put aside work. It took a while for me to know how long to work, when to bring home important work and when not to but I realized it all depends on your timeline, priorities, and the readiness you'd like to have when God calls you to a bigger opportunity!
Conclusion
While we work whether at school, at home, or the office, I pray that we will not forget that we are not alone. God knows when we are unfairly treated and He knows when we need our strength renewed. Our all-seeing, all-powerful God has made it that work is necessary and He gives us the strength to overcome adversity without fail.
As we power through the next months, may we hold Colossians 3:23 close to heart which says,
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
And it's important to note that even the Lord Himself is working. John 5:17 says,
In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working."
Take it (or leave it) from someone who knows and has experienced it - if you are not living for Jesus... if you are living for yourself, you will feel empty. But the promises of a job well done for God is amazing. I once interviewed a street sweeper whose work I admired because I lived in a really clean town a few years ago. And there's a lot I learned from him and it's the importance of working when no one has the time. It's so important not to think you are a victim of unfortunate events when you have to work when no one else is giving that much effort into the line of work you are doing and find a way to rally and focus on the good the work can bring since it's a blessing from the Lord and it will not go unrewarded and unappreciated.
Here's a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. that describes that conversation I had best:
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”
So give it your best! Do it whole-heartedly. It matters to the God who sees and blesses.
That's all! Hope this helps. Until next time! Would love to hear from you before I share part 2. Comment below or feel free to share this with friends! Just revamped an instagram acc. dedicated to these musings at https://www.instagram.com/musingsofasheep/. Stay in touch!
-Grace
P.S. Perhaps you are in a waiting season in your life job-wise, I highly recommend praying about it, still worshiping God while waiting, and keeping tabs on LinkedIn, TESDA, and Jobstreet announcements. This is also a helpful link: https://www.gov.ph/employment. There's also online opportunities for freelance work that helped me couple of years ago: . https://www.hostinger.ph/tutorials/best-freelance-websites. I also suggest joining facebook groups related to your field of expertise since networking is always helpful in job hunting. Hope these help! You're in my thoughts and prayers!
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