Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ~Colossians 3:23
Although there are days when my job is filled with variety, interesting people, and challenging tasks; there are other days when my job seems routine and uninteresting. And although, sometimes, when I am away from work, I engage in new experiences and participate in activities that bring me joy; there are other times when the things I do seem unproductive and dull. There are times when I sit down to write and know exactly what I want to say, and the words just seem to flow; but there are also times when I struggle to find an idea, and even after I decide on a topic, the words are hard to find.
Is my attitude on the good days, the exiting days, and the easy days, the same as it is on the bad days, the dull days, and the hard days? Probably not. Do I approach my job, my writing, and my leisure activities, as if I am doing these things for God? Not nearly as often as I should. According to Paul’s letter to the Colossians, I should work willingly at everything I do, as if I were working for the Lord. Not some of the things I do—everything I do. What might that look like?
My mornings would definitely look different. When my alarm awakened me, I would be filled with an eagerness to get out of bed and get ready for a day full of possibilities. I might begin by asking God what His plans are for my day. “What do you want me to do today, Lord? Who do you want me to reach for you?” And I would respond with obedience. I imagine that I would have a very different attitude about the parts of my day that previously seemed unexciting or unimportant. I would give everything my best effort, and would do so with joy and anticipation for what God might do.
Who knows how God could use something I do or say during an ordinary day, to reach the heart of someone who needs to know Him? Who knows how God could use the words I write, even the ones I struggle with, to touch the heart of someone who really needs them? Who knows how, even the most ordinary part of my day, could be used by God to touch the soul of another person? Simple, seemingly meaningless tasks or encounters, could be used by God to build up the Kingdom.
A speaker that I heard recently, said that my writing should be an act of worship. Could that be another way to state what Paul was saying in Colossians 3:23? Maybe. I would go a step further and say that my work, my ministry, and my leisure activities should also be acts of worship. What a difference that could make.
Be blessed!