Your Work Matters To GodSample

UNDERSTANDING OUR OWN CALLING

Jesus was talking to Peter after he had just had a very important encounter with Him—one of the last meetings the two would have. This was the third time Jesus had shown Himself to the disciples after His resurrection. It is the famous dialogue between Jesus and Peter in which Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Jesus followed by commanding, “Feed My sheep.” Jesus went on to foretell of Peter’s future death. As they were walking together, Peter noticed that John was following them. Peter immediately asked Jesus what His plans were for John. Jesus reacted sharply to Peter’s question, telling him not to worry about what John’s role or purpose was in life. All Peter had to do was worry about fulfilling his own purpose.

As workplace Christians we tend to measure our success on whether we have achieved a certain position or stature in life. Even as believers the temptation to think that someone is blessed if they have achieved prominence is always confronting us. In His discussion with Peter, Jesus was getting at the very heart of the matter of a person’s calling. Peter was worried about whether his friend John was going to get the same lot in life as he was. Jesus told him it should not be his concern. He was to concern himself only with one thing: his own calling before God.

We only have to remain true to God, and when His word is fulfilled, we know it because it will be supernatural fulfillment. We must learn the difference between helping God and God helping us. –Oswald Chambers

Questions

Ambition can become a danger to the purposes of God in our lives. If the ambition and motive is not centered in obedience to Jesus Christ, we can easily fall prey to envy. What happens when we begin to envy the position or place of another?

How would you define envy as compared to contentment? Read 1 Timothy 6:16. Describe the balance between godly ambition and godly contentment.

What should be our motive for success?

Read Ephesians 2:10. Do you know the good works God has prepared for you to do? Are you doing it?

Workplace Application

Sometimes our ambition is motivated from fear of failure or the desire to gain wealth or position. John the

Baptist understood what he was to receive and what he was not to receive (see John 3:27). A mature believer understands how to move in his/her workplace calling by realizing what God has called them to. Sometimes we sweat and toil to receive things God never intended for us to have. We need to be about godly ambition in order to see our works as God-works, not just good works.

Is there any activity in your life that is merely a good-work, versus a God-work?