Winning #13:Coming "Alive" At Work

Work occupies a tremendous portion of our lives. Yet for many people, it can gradually become something to endure rather than something to embrace. We wake up, prepare for another day, travel to the workplace, complete our responsibilities, and return home only to repeat the same pattern again. Somewhere along the way, the excitement can disappear, and work can begin to feel like nothing more than a necessity.

But there is a better question to ask: Am I excited about what I do?

This question takes work from the abstract and makes it deeply personal. It forces us to look beyond salary, job titles, promotions, and external expectations. It asks whether there is energy, purpose, passion, and meaning behind what we do each day. The challenge is not simply to work hard. Many people work hard. The deeper challenge is to become personally engaged in the work to which we give so much of our lives.

This session presents five practical principles—five “work energizers”—that can help transform work from a draining routine into a meaningful expression of purpose. It also challenges us to stop thinking of ourselves as trapped and instead begin taking courageous steps toward a better and more life-giving fit.

I. A KEY QUESTION ABOUT MY WORK: AM I EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I DO?

There is a significant difference between doing a job and being engaged in the work you do. A person may arrive on time, fulfill every responsibility, work long hours, and still feel disconnected from the work itself. The body may be present, but the heart is somewhere else.

That is why the question is so important: Am I excited about my work?

Do you wake up with a sense of anticipation? Is there a spark of desire that pulls you toward the day? Or is every morning dominated by the feeling of “I have to”? Work can easily become a concession to life—a necessary burden that must simply be carried.

When people feel like they are a forced fit in their work, motivation suffers. The source describes workers who feel like square pegs being pushed into round holes. They may possess ability and intelligence, yet something about the fit is wrong. The result is often frustration, disengagement, and the gradual loss of energy.

The good news is that a lack of energy does not always mean that a person must immediately abandon everything. Sometimes the problem is not simply the job itself. Sometimes a dream has been lost. Sometimes strengths are being ignored. Sometimes the pace has become unhealthy. Sometimes a person has lost sight of God's purposes.

The first step toward coming alive at work is discovering what is draining your energy—and then beginning to address it.

II. FIVE WORK ENERGIZERS

A. The Right Dream

Dreams give energy to life. They give the soul something to move toward. Without a compelling vision of the future, work can become a series of repetitive tasks with no larger meaning.

A dream pulls us forward. It gives purpose to effort and meaning to sacrifice. When a person has a compelling picture of something worthwhile ahead, difficult work becomes easier to endure because the work is connected to something greater.

This raises an important question: What are your dreams for your work?

What do you hope to accomplish? What contribution do you want to make? What kind of difference do you want your work to have on other people, your family, your community, or future generations?

The principle is simple:

1. You pursue with passion only what you dream about.

People rarely pursue passionately what they have never clearly imagined. A visionless life tends to drift from one demand to another. It focuses only on surviving today, finishing this week, or reaching the next payday. But a dream gives work direction.

That does not mean every dream is automatically healthy or realistic.

2. A Definition: “Something I can do and want to do that accomplishes something worth doing.”

A right dream is more than fantasy. It brings together three important elements. It is something you can do, even if it requires courage, growth, discipline, and faith. It is something you want to do, something that connects with your deepest interests and motivations. Finally, it accomplishes something worth doing—something that contributes, serves, builds, helps, or positively impacts others.

The right dream is therefore not merely about personal achievement. It includes meaningful contribution.

3. The more our work integrates with our dreams, the more energy we will have for what we do.

When our daily responsibilities are connected to a compelling vision, work begins to possess greater meaning. Even routine tasks can become part of a larger journey.

If you have lost energy for your work, perhaps one question to ask is this: Have I lost my dream?

Maybe the work has not changed as much as your vision has. Perhaps you need to rediscover what you are moving toward.

B. The Right Personal Assessment

One of the wisest principles for life is simple: Know yourself.

Yet knowing yourself is more difficult than it appears. We all have blind spots. We may overestimate some abilities and underestimate others. We may pursue opportunities because of money, status, family expectations, or the approval of others rather than because they genuinely fit who we are.

There is need for humility. We do not always see ourselves clearly, and we often need help to understand our own design.

1. We are all unique people with unique strengths.

Every individual brings a distinctive combination of abilities, personality, experiences, interests, and strengths. Psalm 139:13–14 reminds us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

The challenge is not to become someone else. It is to understand how God has uniquely designed us and then learn how to use that design effectively.

2. We are most energized at work when our strengths are most utilized.

There is a tremendous difference between constantly working against your natural strengths and developing what you already do well.

This does not mean that we should ignore weaknesses or refuse to develop new skills. However, sustainable growth often occurs when we understand and cultivate our areas of strength.

Many people spend enormous amounts of energy trying to become competent in areas that do not fit their natural design. Yet when strengths are recognized and developed, work can become more productive and energizing.

3. Two critical “knows”:

a. We need to know who we are.

Discovering who you are requires intentional reflection. One practical approach is to look at your past experiences and ask: When have I felt most alive?

i). Past Experiences

Look back across your life. Identify moments when you felt energized, fulfilled, engaged, or deeply satisfied. Then look for common threads.

Perhaps you repeatedly found joy in leading people. Maybe you loved solving problems, building things, teaching, encouraging, organizing, creating, or helping others succeed.

The patterns in your past may reveal important clues about your strengths.

ii). Wise, Objective Counselors

We also need people who can speak honestly into our lives. Wise counselors can sometimes see what we cannot see ourselves. They can affirm genuine strengths while also helping us recognize limitations and blind spots.

The key word is objective. The right counselor is not simply someone who tells us what we want to hear. A wise counselor can speak truth with courage and help us see both our potential and our limitations.

iii). A Personality and Abilities Test

Assessments can also be useful tools for self-understanding. They are not substitutes for wisdom, experience, prayer, or personal responsibility, but they can provide helpful language and insight.

A good assessment may help identify patterns in personality, abilities, motivations, and vocational strengths. Used wisely, such tools can assist people in making better decisions about education, careers, responsibilities, and future opportunities.

b. We also need to know who we are not.

This can be just as important as discovering who we are.

Sometimes people spend years pursuing careers, positions, or lifestyles that simply do not fit them. They may continue because of money, prestige, family pressure, or fear of change.

But freedom often begins when we honestly acknowledge: This is not who I am.

Knowing what does not fit helps us move toward what does. It prevents us from spending a lifetime trying to force ourselves into an identity that was never truly ours.

4. Here’s the point: The more our work engages our strengths, the more energy we will have for what we do.

Knowing yourself is not a luxury. It is a strategic necessity.

C. The “Ever Righter” Job Fit

Finding the right work is often a journey rather than a single decision.

Many young people expect to discover their perfect career immediately. They believe that after finishing school, they should find the ideal job and remain there for life. But for many people, a good job fit unfolds gradually.

1. For most men, a good job fit will unfold over time.

The journey may move through several stages.

20s: Guesswork and Discovery

During this stage, work often involves experimentation. People are learning about themselves through real-world experience. The primary energy may come simply from surviving and establishing independence.

30s–40s: Courageous “Right” Adjustments

As experience grows, people begin to recognize what fits and what does not. This may require courageous adjustments—changing roles, industries, responsibilities, or even career direction.

The energy in this stage is often connected with success and finding a better fit.

40s–50s: Negotiate into “Best Fit”

Eventually, the focus may shift from simply succeeding to making a meaningful contribution. The question becomes less about, “How much can I achieve?” and more about, “What difference can I make?”

Be warned against becoming trapped by “golden handcuffs”—remaining in a draining situation solely because of financial rewards.

50s–60s: Bold Move to Highest and “Best Use”

At this stage, the deepest question becomes one of sustainability. What would you continue doing even if employment or income were no longer the primary motivation?

This is “lifework”—something connected to the essence of who you are.

The goal is to discover the highest and best use of your gifts.

2. There are anxiety-producing transitions along the way, but they are key to maintaining work energy.

Change is rarely comfortable. Leaving a familiar position, changing careers, accepting less income, or stepping away from the expectations of others can be frightening.

But remaining in an “almost fit” can also be costly.

Sometimes courage means staying and changing the way you work. At other times, courage means preparing for a transition. The important point is that meaningful change usually requires movement.

3. The righter and tighter our work fits with who we really are, the more energy we will have for what we do.

The journey toward a better fit may take time, but every honest step toward alignment can bring renewed energy.

D. The Right Pace

Even meaningful work can become destructive when the pace is unsustainable.

Work is important, but work is not the whole of life. A healthy pace makes room for more than professional achievement.

1. What surveys tell us

There is danger in becoming consumed by work. Workaholism can make productivity appear successful while other areas of life quietly deteriorate.

The old saying remains relevant: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

2. A good pace at work will provide enough time for:

• Rest
• Family
• Spiritual pursuits

These are not distractions from a meaningful life. They are part of a meaningful life.

Even God established a rhythm of work and rest. Rest is not laziness; it is part of healthy stewardship. Family relationships require time and presence. Spiritual growth requires space for reflection, prayer, worship, and renewal.

3. Good workers can often negotiate their pace, especially established, good workers.

As people become more valuable and established in their work, they may gain greater ability to negotiate their responsibilities, schedules, and compensation.

This requires courage and wisdom. It may mean deciding that more money is not always worth the cost of losing one's health, family, peace, or spiritual life.

4. The more our work allows for a healthy pace and a balanced life, the more energy we will have for what we do.

A sustainable pace does not weaken productivity. In the long run, it can preserve the very energy needed to continue contributing.

E. The Right Focus

The final energizer is perhaps the deepest of all: understanding that our work matters to God.

1. Our work matters to God.

Work is not spiritually neutral. How we work, how we treat people, the values we uphold, and the reputation we build all matter.

a. We work for Him. — Colossians 3:23–24

Colossians reminds believers to work wholeheartedly, ultimately serving the Lord. This transforms even ordinary responsibilities. Work becomes more than serving a supervisor, organization, or personal ambition.

It becomes an act of service to God.

b. He seeks to work through us. — Philippians 2:13

God is not absent from the workplace. This allows God to work in and through us as we fulfill our responsibilities.

Our work can become a place where character is displayed, people are served, integrity is practiced, and lives are influenced.

c. We will one day have a comprehensive job review. — 2 Corinthians 5:10

Our work and choices have significance. What we do with our time, abilities, opportunities, and influence matters.

2. The question that should be woven in and around all our work is this: “What does God want?”

This question should shape:

• How we work and the message our work sends.
• How we connect with employees and customers.
• The values we uphold.
• The decisions we make.
• The reputation we establish.

Work becomes more meaningful when it is connected to something eternal. For instance a coach, whose work is not merely about winning football games. He sees coaching as an opportunity to help boys become men of substance and impact. Football is the context, but transformation is the deeper purpose.

3. The more we personally integrate God and His eternal purposes into our work, the more energy we will have for what we do.

Purpose changes perspective. The same job can become more meaningful when we understand how it can serve people and honor God.

 

III. WHAT YOU CAN DO TO ENERGIZE YOUR WORK

Understanding these principles is valuable, but transformation requires action.

A. Stop Saying “I’m Trapped.” No Man Is Trapped Except in His Own Mind.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed by circumstances. A person may dislike their job, feel underqualified for something new, fear financial consequences, or believe it is too late to change.

Not every situation can be changed immediately. Some responsibilities and limitations are real. But even when a complete change is not possible today, a first move may be possible.

The challenge is to stop surrendering mentally.

Authentic manhood is not about endless complaining. It is about courageous movement. It means asking, What can I do next?

The first step may be small, but movement creates momentum.

B. Name Which of the Five Work Energizers Are Missing in Your Work. Identifying What’s Missing Is Half the Battle.

Take an honest inventory.

Is your problem a lack of a dream?

Are your strengths being ignored?

Are you in an almost-fit rather than a good fit?

Is your pace destroying your energy?

Have you lost sight of God's purposes for your work?

Identifying the missing energizer gives you a target. You cannot effectively solve a problem you refuse to define.

C. What “First Move” Can You Take to Re-Energize Your Work?

You do not have to solve your entire future today. You only need to identify the next courageous move.

1. Put it on your “10 Key Moves” sheet.

Write it down. Turn a vague desire into a specific commitment.

2. Talk to wise counselors about how best to make that move.

Seek perspective from people who have wisdom, experience, and the courage to tell you the truth.

3. Enlist friends to support, pray, and cheer for you.

Major transitions are difficult to navigate alone. Healthy friendships can provide encouragement, accountability, and perspective.

4. Enlist God in prayer.

If work matters to God, then bring your work decisions to Him. Ask for wisdom, courage, clarity, and direction.

The ultimate goal is not merely to find an easier job, a larger salary, or a more impressive title.

It is to come alive at work.

Coming alive means having a dream that pulls you forward. It means knowing your strengths and accepting your limitations. It means courageously moving toward a better fit. It means establishing a sustainable pace that makes room for rest, family, and spiritual life. Above all, it means integrating God's purposes into what you do.

You may not be able to transform your entire work situation overnight. But you can begin today.

Identify what is missing.

Choose your first move.

Seek wise counsel.

Gather support.

Pray.

Then move forward with courage.

Because meaningful work is not simply about making a living. At its best, it is about using the life God has given you to make a difference. And sometimes, the journey toward authentic manhood begins with a simple but searching question:

Am I truly alive in the work I do?

  👍🏽 Robert Lewis

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Winning #12: Two Visions of Work

Work occupies a significant portion of human life. For many people, it is simply the place they go each morning to earn a paycheck, meet financial obligations, and survive until the weekend arrives. Yet the way we approach work is deeply connected to the way we see it. Before we ever begin a task, attend a meeting, serve a customer, lead a team, or report to a supervisor, our perspective has already begun shaping our attitude.

The central question, therefore, is not merely, “What do you do?” It is also, “How do you see what you do?”

A man’s work can become a source of frustration, boredom, and endless obligation—or it can become an arena of purpose, service, growth, influence, and faithfulness. The difference often begins with perspective. The way we interpret our work in our minds affects how we value it, how diligently we perform it, and ultimately how we experience it.

I. THE POWER OF PERSPECTIVE

Perspective is powerful because people do not simply respond to circumstances; they respond to the meaning they assign to those circumstances. Two people may perform the same job under similar conditions, yet experience their work in completely different ways. One sees only pressure, inconvenience, and routine. The other sees opportunity, responsibility, relationships, and purpose.

The work itself may be identical, but the perspective is not.

This is why the question of how we see work is so important. We may look at our jobs with our physical eyes, but our minds determine what those jobs mean to us. Our experiences, beliefs, expectations, ambitions, disappointments, and convictions all contribute to the lens through which we interpret our daily labor.

For many men, work becomes merely a place to endure. The alarm rings, the routine begins, responsibilities accumulate, and the primary goal becomes getting through the day. But if work consumes such a substantial portion of adult life, then a poor perspective toward work can drain a substantial portion of life itself.

A higher perspective does not mean that every job will be easy or enjoyable. It does not deny difficult supervisors, exhausting schedules, disappointing circumstances, or demanding responsibilities. Instead, it asks a deeper question: Could there be more to my work than simply earning a living?

The answer explored throughout Scripture is a resounding yes.

II. THE PREVAILING VIEW OF WORK: WORK IS A CONCESSION

The prevailing view of work is that it is something we must do in order to get the things we really want. Work becomes the price we pay for food, housing, possessions, entertainment, and eventually retirement.

Under this perspective, work is a necessary evil.

We may say, “It’s just a job.” We may count the hours until the weekend, live for holidays, and dream about the day when we will no longer have to work. The job itself is not viewed as meaningful; it is simply the means to something else.

A. This View of Work Has Dominated Much of Human History

Throughout history, many cultures have treated ordinary labor as something inferior. Various societies have regarded physical and everyday work as burdensome or beneath those who had achieved social status. In some contexts, labor was delegated to slaves or lower classes, while the privileged pursued philosophy, politics, religion, or leisure.

Even when hard work was necessary for survival, it was often not regarded as something possessing intrinsic dignity or spiritual significance. Work was simply what had to be done.

That mindset still survives today.

B. This View of Work Dominates the Thinking of Many Today

1. “It’s Just a Job.”

These four words reveal a great deal about perspective.

When a man says, “It’s just a job,” he may be expressing disappointment, but he may also be diminishing the significance of a large part of his life. His work becomes disconnected from his identity, his values, his service to others, and his larger sense of purpose.

He shows up, performs the required tasks, collects his paycheck, and goes home.

But there is a danger in allowing work to become completely detached from meaning. A person may become physically present while mentally and emotionally absent.

2. It Is a Necessary Means to the Things I Really Want

Under this perspective, work is merely a means to an end. The real purpose of life is believed to exist somewhere outside the workplace. Work is what a person tolerates so that he can eventually enjoy life somewhere else.

But this raises an important question: What happens when we spend years enduring something that occupies such a large portion of our lives?

If we believe our work has no purpose beyond a paycheck, we may begin to approach it with minimum effort, minimum enthusiasm, and minimum emotional investment.

The problem is not simply dissatisfaction with a job. The deeper problem is a perspective that assumes meaningful living begins only after work is over.

3. The Ultimate Goal Is Not to Work but to Retire

For many people, retirement becomes the great finish line. They endure decades of work in anticipation of the day when they can finally stop.

Rest is valuable. Seasons of renewal are necessary. But if the greatest dream of life is simply to escape work, then perhaps we have misunderstood the nature and purpose of work itself.

The higher question is not merely, “When can I stop working?” but “What kind of work am I called to do, and how can I use it meaningfully?”

 

III. THE HIGHER VIEW OF WORK: WORK IS A CALLING OF GOD

There is another way to see work.

Rather than viewing work as a concession to life, we can view it as a calling within life.

The word vocation carries the idea of calling. A vocation is more than a job description. It suggests that a person may have a purpose to fulfill, responsibilities to carry, people to serve, problems to solve, and contributions to make.

This does not mean that every person will experience a dramatic moment in which God announces a specific career path. Rather, it means that work itself can be understood as part of humanity’s God-given responsibility.

The question changes from “How can I get through this job?” to “How can I serve God through the work placed before me?”

That perspective changes everything.

A businessman is no longer merely making sales. A teacher is no longer merely delivering lessons. A farmer is no longer merely cultivating land. A mechanic is no longer merely repairing vehicles. A builder, doctor, driver, accountant, cleaner, entrepreneur, public servant, or employee can all understand their work as an opportunity to serve people, demonstrate character, exercise stewardship, and reflect the values of the God they serve.

A. This Higher View of Work Is Set Forth in Scripture

1. God Is a Worker

The Bible opens with God at work.

Genesis begins with creation. God brings order out of emptiness, forms the world, creates life, and then looks upon what He has made and declares it good. The biblical story does not begin with God in retirement. It begins with God working.

Genesis 2:2 then speaks of God resting from the work He had done. Rest itself therefore follows purposeful labor.

This gives dignity to work. If work reflects something of the creative activity of God, then meaningful labor is not beneath human beings. It is part of how we were designed to participate in the world.

2. God Created Man as His Co-Worker

Scripture presents humanity as having responsibility within God’s creation. Psalm 8 describes human beings as entrusted with authority over the works of God’s hands, while Ephesians 2:10 declares that believers are created in Christ Jesus for good works.

This means we were not created merely to consume, observe, and wait. We were created to participate, cultivate, build, serve, create, manage, lead, and contribute.

Work, therefore, can be an expression of partnership with God.

Whatever legitimate responsibility has been placed in our hands, we can ask: How can I do this in a way that brings good to others and glory to God?

3. What About the Curse?

Some people assume that work itself is the result of the Fall. However, the biblical narrative presents Adam as having responsibilities before sin entered the world. Work was part of humanity’s original assignment.

The consequence of sin was not the creation of work itself, but the introduction of hardship, frustration, and difficulty into the process. Genesis describes the ground as cursed, making labor more difficult.

This distinction matters.

Work is not inherently the curse. Frustration, struggle, and hardship entered the human experience of work because of the Fall. But meaningful labor existed before the curse.

Therefore, even in a difficult workplace, we can still search for purpose.

B. This Higher View of Work Has Made an Impact in History

1. As Seen in the Protestant Reformation and the Revolutionary Protestant Work Ethic

The Protestant Reformation contributed significantly to the recovery of the idea that ordinary work could possess spiritual dignity. Reformers challenged the idea that only religious occupations were sacred while ordinary occupations were spiritually inferior.

A priest could serve God.

But so could a farmer.

A pastor could have a calling.

But so could a craftsman.

A missionary could serve God.

But so could a merchant, teacher, builder, or public servant.

This perspective helped establish several important principles.

i) It Emphasized Work as the Will of God for Everyone

Work was not simply something assigned to the poor or the powerless. Meaningful labor was regarded as a responsibility and opportunity for everyone.

ii) It Endorsed All Work with Equal Dignity

Legitimate work possesses dignity. Society may rank occupations according to income, influence, education, or prestige, but God’s perspective is not limited by human status.

The person who cleans an office with integrity may honor God just as genuinely as the executive who manages the company.

The question is not simply, “How impressive is my job?”

The deeper question is, “How faithfully am I carrying out the responsibility entrusted to me?”

iii) It Encouraged Honesty and Diligence While Promoting Wise Stewardship

The higher view of work also connects labor with character. If work is a calling, then dishonesty, laziness, exploitation, and carelessness become more than professional failures; they become failures of stewardship.

Our work should reflect diligence.

Our finances should reflect wisdom.

Our success should become an opportunity for influence and generosity rather than selfish consumption.

C. The Power This Higher View of Work Can Unleash

When people begin to see work as meaningful, their approach changes.

They become more diligent.

They become more responsible.

They develop skill.

They solve problems.

They build organizations.

They serve communities.

They invest in the future.

They recognize that their daily work can have consequences beyond their immediate comfort.

The higher view of work does not guarantee wealth or worldly success. Nor should it be reduced to a formula promising prosperity. But purpose has power. A person who believes his work matters is more likely to approach it with seriousness, perseverance, and commitment.

IV. A KEY SCRIPTURE THAT SUMMARIZES THIS HIGHER VIEW OF WORK

Colossians 3:23–24 provides a powerful summary:

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men… It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

These words transform the workplace.

They remind us that our ultimate service is not determined solely by the person whose name appears on the organizational chart. Beyond the visible structures of employment is a higher accountability.

A. “Whatever You Do, Do Your Work Heartily, as for the Lord Rather Than for Men”

This passage challenges the separation between sacred and secular work.

It says, “Whatever you do.”

That means the higher view of work is not reserved only for ministers, missionaries, or religious professionals. Every legitimate sphere of labor can become an arena for faithful service.

B. Four Observations From This Passage

1. All Work Is a Calling of God

i) Value

If our work can be offered to God, then it possesses greater value than we may have previously recognized. The dignity of work is not determined solely by salary, title, or public recognition.

A person may perform a seemingly ordinary task with extraordinary significance.

ii) Accountability

If we ultimately serve God, then our work also carries accountability. Integrity matters when the supervisor is absent. Excellence matters when no one applauds. Honesty matters when dishonesty might appear easier.

Character is revealed not only in what we accomplish, but in how we accomplish it.

2. All Work Is Working for God

i) Authority

The workplace contains structures of authority, and employees should respect legitimate leadership. Yet the Christian understands that every human authority exists under a higher authority.

This perspective encourages faithfulness even when human leadership is imperfect.

ii) Ethics

When God is regarded as the ultimate master, our ethical standard must rise above convenience.

We do not cheat because cheating benefits us.

We do not lie because lying protects us.

We do not exploit others because exploitation increases profit.

We work with integrity because our values do not change when circumstances become difficult.

3. All Work Should Get My Best

i) Effort

“Do your work heartily” calls for wholehearted effort. It challenges the attitude that asks, “What is the least I can do and still get paid?”

A higher perspective asks, “What does faithfulness require of me today?”

ii) Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm does not mean pretending every day is easy. It means refusing to surrender our attitude completely to circumstances.

We can bring energy, gratitude, and intentionality into our work even when the work is demanding.

iii) Excellence

Excellence is not perfectionism. Perfectionism is often driven by fear. Excellence is driven by stewardship.

It asks us to develop our gifts, sharpen our skills, improve our craft, and take pride in doing what is right and good.

4. All Work, Done Rightly, Is Promised Reward From God

The rewards of faithful work may take many forms.

Prosperity may sometimes result from diligence, wisdom, and effective stewardship.

Influence can grow when people recognize consistent integrity and excellence.

Surprises may emerge through unexpected opportunities, relationships, and doors that open over time.

Yet the greatest reward is not always immediate or financial. Sometimes the reward is the person we become through faithful work. Sometimes it is the lives we influence. Sometimes it is the knowledge that we remained faithful when compromise would have been easier.

God’s rewards are not always predictable, but faithfulness is never wasted.

C. Illustrated: The Example of William Wilberforce

The life of William Wilberforce provides a powerful illustration of a man who understood that his faith and his public work did not have to exist in separate worlds.

After his conversion, Wilberforce considered leaving politics. However, he was encouraged to remain in public life and serve God where he had already been placed. He continued in Parliament and devoted himself to the long struggle against the British slave trade and slavery.

His work was difficult.

His efforts were repeatedly resisted.

His victories did not come quickly.

Yet he remained committed to what he believed was his calling.

Wilberforce demonstrates an important principle: Sometimes the place from which we are tempted to escape may be the very place where God intends us to make a difference.

Not everyone is called to Parliament. Not everyone will lead a historic movement. But every person can ask whether God has placed them where they are for a purpose greater than personal advancement.

Your workplace may be an assignment.

Your profession may be a platform.

Your influence may extend far beyond your job description.

Your integrity may preach before you ever speak a sermon.

Your excellence may create opportunities for conversations that would never occur otherwise.

V. THE BOTTOM LINE

Your work today will be driven by how you see it. That is the power of perspective.

Tomorrow morning, the alarm will ring. Responsibilities will be waiting. There will be meetings to attend, customers to serve, problems to solve, reports to complete, decisions to make, and people to deal with.

The circumstances may not have changed.

But your perspective can.

You can walk into your workplace saying, “I have to be here.” Or you can begin asking, “What opportunity has God placed before me today?”

You can see your work as a burden that separates you from real life. Or you can see it as part of the life you have been called to live.

You can work only for a paycheck. Or you can recognize that a paycheck may be one reward among many, while your work also becomes an opportunity to serve, grow, influence, create, provide, and glorify God.

The challenge is not to pretend that every job is perfect. Some jobs need to change. Some workplaces are unhealthy. Some people may need new training, new opportunities, or a completely different vocational direction.

But wherever you are today, you can begin with a new perspective.

Do not simply ask, “What am I getting from my work?”

Also ask:

“What am I becoming through my work?”

“Who am I serving through my work?”

“What kind of influence am I building through my work?”

“How can I bring greater integrity and excellence into what I do?”

And ultimately:

“How can I see this work as an opportunity to serve God?”

The power of perspective can transform an ordinary Monday morning.

Work may still be difficult.

The tasks may still be demanding.

The challenges may still be real.

But when work is no longer seen merely as a have to, it can become an opportunity to fulfill a higher purpose.

Do your work heartily. Work with integrity. Pursue excellence. Serve people. Develop your gifts. Remain faithful.

And when you walk into your workplace, remember:

You are not merely going to work. You may be walking into one of the places where your calling is being lived out.

  👍🏽 Robert Lewis

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