Are you feeling good about your work at the moment, or a bit down or unhappy? Why is that?
The ups and downs
I remember a sad old man who used to live in my block of apartments. He used to be the principal of a successful law firm, but lost his practicing certificate because of an anomaly in his trust accounts. He was declared bankrupt and lost everything.
You can be at the top of the pile one day and down the bottom the next. Often it can be through no fault of your own—for example, it may be due to an economic recession or company downsizing.
How will you cope if things go pear-shaped at work? Conversely, will you stay humble and grounded when things go well at work and you’re ‘kicking goals’?
Grounded in God
One of the great things about being a follower of Jesus Christ is that your self-worth isn’t tied up in your work—with all its ups and downs—but is grounded in a far more secure place. You know that you are loved and valuable because God made you and Christ died for you.
See how the apostle James reminds poor Christians of their worth in the gospel, despite their worldly circumstances:
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? (Jas 2:5)
This is incredibly liberating, especially when things aren’t going well at work or if you lose your job. Knowing how much God loves and values you can help you to cope even when things are tough.
On the flip side, when things are going really well for you, Jesus can keep you humble and godly (instead of becoming big-headed and proud)—because it’s God who gives you the ability to succeed in the first place. As Ecclesiastes reminds us:
Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. (Eccl 5:19)
Pray: Thank God that you are valuable because you are his. Pray that you would remember this whether you fail or succeed.
