Your Work Matters To GodSýnishorn

THE PROPER FOUNDATION

Imagine spending years building an expensive home with the finest materials and craftsmanship. It is a work of art, and the project is almost complete. As the day arrives to move in, a building inspector comes and hands you a notice condemning your beautiful home because it doesn’t meet code.

Many Christians in the workplace invest years in their vocations will one day stand before the Lord and realize they were building the house, not the Lord. God is very picky about the motives behind our actions. Before we act, we must ask why. Why are we doing what we are doing? Has God called us to this task? Or is the real motive purely financial? Or control? Or prestige?

David learned this principle by the end of his life. Throughout his life he had learned that God always tested him to find out what was in his heart, and what his motive was behind his actions. David instructed his son to “…acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9a). Paul said what had happened to him had served to advance the gospel. Have the adversities in your life and the blessings in your life advanced the gospel?

Questions

What happens to a building that has a poor foundation?

What happens when we work with only the motive of making money?

What does it mean to seek God’s hand versus His face?

Workplace Application

When I began writing TGIF, I knew my motive was to provide a helpful tool for others. I was developing content based on the word of God (foundation and motive). God confirmed my writing through many others who would let me know how much it was helping them (confirmation). However, I was not trained to be a writer. It had been years since I had been in an English grammar class. God brought editors into my life to help me become more skillful in my calling.