Faith, blessings and success

When we are faithful in our work, do we think our work is blessed because of our faith?

‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ Jeremiah 29:11

Is success the mark of a blessed Christian?

In an article on The Gospel Coalition, ‘8 Lies Christians believe about Success’ are considered. Among which, is the lie that God’s blessing is tangible. Too often, Christians believe that they are justified in receiving higher pay, a promotion, a better job and so on, because they assume God rewards the faithful in this way.

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

                Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

                Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

                Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peace makers, for they will be called sons of God.

                Blessed are those who are persecuted, because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’  Matthew 5:3-10

Rather than physical and material blessings, Jesus reminds us that our blessings are of eternal value because we know Christ. Similar to the Jeremiah passage, God had promised blessing to His people if they sought after Him as God. To these exiles, the promise of the restoration of physical land was a great reward, but how much greater it is for us who have the kingdom of heaven!

Faithfulness does not necessarily equal material success. But faith gives us blessings that we can rejoice in now and forever. 

Calling=Job? Calling > Job?

Is there such a thing as calling?

Perhaps you have that one friend who is absolutely passionate about their work - “I always knew I was called to be a doctor!” Or maybe you are surrounded by people who feel otherwise – “Doesn’t calling make my choice void? I’m just walking into something pre-decided.”

Given that we do invest a great portion of our lifetime into work, one often considers work as a place to create meaning and reap fulfilment. At the same time however, many misconceptions surround the nature of calling. Possibly, the greatest myth of them all is that your calling is a job.

In a recent article on Relevant, Dan Cumberland clarifies that our jobs are but an opportunity to express our calling, and is not the calling itself.

Adding onto this, the Bible gives us an example of calling, and the higher purpose behind it.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’

                And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’

Isaiah 6:8

Here, we see Isaiah responding to God’s call to send out His message that ultimately gives Him the glory. In the same vein, we ought to seek God’s glory in our work! The fact is we may end up working different jobs throughout our lifetime, some which we love and others which frustrate us, and more often than not, a mix of both. On the other hand, our calling does not change.

For man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Fleeting or gripping fears?

Anxious about tomorrow’s board meeting? Scrambling to seal client negotiations? Troubled by workplace relationships? These are only some of the many concerns faced at the workplace on a daily, if not regular basis.

An article published by Forbes outlines five things employees fear most throughout their career: bad boss, ineffective senior leadership, no mentors, did not reach full potential, and job security. While these fears are valid to a certain extent, I wonder if they are initial natural concerns or deep-seated fears.

If they are the latter, it begs the question, “Why am I so afraid? What exactly is my motivation?”

‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.’ – Colossians 3:23-24

Paul reminds us that our primary motivation should in fact be to honour Jesus Christ. One might argue that we work to provide for ourselves and family, so the motivation is to supply finances. That is true on the surface level of work, but our entire lives as Christians are subject to Jesus so our work is for His sake. With this mindset, our fears about career goals and fulfilment can be balanced and eventually dissolved into a heart that learns greater trust in God. If anything, we look forward to receive the inheritance spoken about, accepting that these fears are fleeting just like the present age.

What are your fears? Do they control and influence how you go about doing work?