There is an important difference between doing something for people and doing something for God. God always deserves our best effort. People will disappoint us, betray us, neglect us, and mistreat us. Some will constantly ask for what we can give while offering nothing in return. From our human perspective, these people deserve our minimal effort at best. What then should motivate us to serve people, except our love for God? God deserves our love, and He demands that we love others in the same way He does. We are to love our spouses, not as they deserve, but as God commands (Eph. 5:22–33). We are to treat our friends, not as they treat us, but as Christ loves us (John 13:14). We are to labor at our jobs, not in proportion to the way our employer treats us, but according to the way God treats us. God is the One we serve (Eph. 6:5). Mediocrity and laziness have no place in the Christian's life. Christians must maintain integrity at home and in the workplace. Working for God, as opposed to working for other people, changes our perspective as we view our endeavors in light of what He has done for us. Our toil then becomes an offering to God. We not only worship God at church on Sunday, but our labor throughout the week is an offering of worship and thanksgiving to the One who has given us everything we have. When people do not measure up to our expectations and we feel our efforts are being wasted, we must keep in mind that we are toiling for holy God. He is worthy of our best effort. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
What's YOUR Why?
What drives you? What motivates you?
Is it emotional? Are your feelings driving you to be the way you are? Or is it out of obedience? Forced or willing obedience? Is it out of anything but willful obedience to God?
Colossians 3:23-24 have been my life verses for a very long time. My why to people when they can't figure out why I still give my all in situations where most would have slacked off is this.
I don't work for my employer. I do what I do for God. Which means at all times, regardless of how I am treated or feel, I must continue to do my best.
What motivates you? In your social world are you giving God your best? Or are you giving Him a bad name? Most easily the Westboro Baptist Church has done a lot of things that are wrong. They have not glorified God in their actions but done a lot of damage to the reputation of God. I see individuals doing the same on Facebook. Their rights are more important than realizing that they are giving God a bad name.
There's going to be times when our rights aren't going to matter. It's what God wants that matters. If what is going on is this world preparing for the events of the book of Revelation then Christians ought to be sounding the alarm, not going on about their rights being violated. Whe are seeing a world being changed, but it's in obedience to Scripture. Jesus said Heaven and Earth will pass away but His Words will never pass away. They ALL have to come true. Every single word. Every single inflection of every single phrase. Satan tries every single day to try to stop even one part of it from coming true.
Live your life in such a way as to make people want to know more about the God in which you serve, not your cause because you think your rights are more important!
Look at how the Apostles were treated. Chained to a wall off the floor. Beatings. Stonings. Shipwrecked. No possessions. Yet in our world there are Christians who would be mocking them or ignorant of what God is doing through them.
Doing what you do for your life should always have at its roots the motivation to please God not man. If you find yourself in situations where you are forced to compromise God's Word by your employer then is when you need to reconsider that employer. I have left several because I hold to the axiom that I stay until God makes it impossible for me to do so. Many in my life don't understand that.
What you do is not as important as why you do it.
I won't go in the building where I work unless Jesus goes in with me. I ask Him to each morning as I get out of my car. I can't handle the storm in there without Him.
Right now I am facing storms in there. If you find yourself so lead to do so, I would appreciate your prayers.
Striving to do your best even if nobody is watching is your integrity. Because Jesus is always watching. If His eye is always on the sparrow then you know it is on your life too.
So pray that your life is lived in obedience. Not selfishness. Both can't be happening at the same time. Keeping your eyes on Jesus in your work and your downtime is ever so important. Idle minds are the devil's playground. Nobody is immune to his whispering in your ears.
In all things give thanks without grumbling or complaining. Do your work heartily as unto the Lord for it is Him you serve.
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