Remembering the Lord in Our Work
By Laura Bailey
“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.” - Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
A few years ago, during a personal pity party over being one of the few volunteers for an upcoming event, a friend told me some words that altered how I viewed service. She said, “ Laura, You can’t let other people's lack of service steal your joy in doing. You have to decide to serve because God has called you for a purpose, and stop looking to your left and right. You will be much happier when you leave the judging to God and let go of your human expectations of people, you are not responsible for their actions, but you are yours.” My friend's words were a reminder that each of us has various spiritual giftings that we use to serve God.
As we look at Colossians 3:23-24, that’s precisely what the Lord tells us to do! “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving”.But now that we understand Who we are working for, how should we go about our work, and how do we know what God has called us specifically to do?
If we look at 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul shares with us our spiritual gifts and how they should look in the body of believers and service in the church. We learn that spiritual gifts are :
- Divinely given, they are to be used for missions and to build the church for Christ’s glory.
- There are different gifts, but the Holy Spirit distributes them; one is not greater than the other. Spiritual gifts are not natural talents, skills, or abilities, Spiritual gifts are given to believers by the Holy Spirit, and they serve to help the body of believers.
- We are uniquely gifted, and through God’s power, we can serve for His glory.
Verses 12-27 in 1 Corinthians tell us how we use these gifts within the church. Paul uses the human body as an analogy for the church body and our gifts. Think about how the parts of the body function together to keep you alive. We are all essential to the body of Christ!
Don't let discouragement or comparison steal your enjoyment of sharing God's gifts. Instead, ask the Holy Spirit to help us view others' gifts correctly and use ours effectively. Some people have more public gifts, and some are behind the scenes, but all serve a critical role and, when working together, are powerful! Let's leave the criticism of others' service to God unless we feel led to encourage them to work willingly for God. And even then, let's pray before engaging this person.
God values all types of service; we must continually seek him and ask him to create a clean, humble servant’s heart in whatever we have been tasked to do. Nothing is Insignificant in God’s Kingdom; nothing is wasted; let us open our lives to be a vessel for God, for His glory and His honor. Maybe your interaction will have a life-altering impact, just like my friend's encouragement did with me.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Do you know your spiritual gifting? Speak with your pastor or ministry leader and inquire what they think are your gifts. There are also spiritual gifts assessments online that you could use to help you. And, who knows, your interaction will have a life-altering impact, just like my friend's encouragement did with me.
Further Reading:
1 Corinthians 12
How to Identify and Effectively Use Your Spiritual Gifts
A Comprehensive Spiritual Gifts List to Discover Your Gifts and Calling
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages
She lives in Upstate South Carolina with her husband and three young girls, where she serves as director of women's ministries at her church. Her passion is teaching the Bible to women, equipping them to live with an eternal perspective. Invite Laura to speak at your next event or learn more: www.LauraRBailey.com
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