Wisdom for Work From the PsalmsSýnishorn

“Glorify” is one of those Christianese terms we use so much that its meaning can feel muddled. So, when you read a passage like 1 Corinthians 10:31 that urges you to do “whatever you do…for the glory of God,” you might understandably wonder what that looks like practically—especially in the workplace.

Let’s look to God’s Word to remove some of the mystery together. Here are just five ways Scripture says you can “glorify” God at work today.

#1: Give thanks. Psalm 50:23 makes clear that simply thanking God for the gift of your work and the fruit it’s producing “glorifies” him.

#2: Do good work. Jesus said, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The Greek word ergon that we translate to “good works” here literally means “work, task, [and] employment.” And so, you can be confident you are glorifying God today when you simply do your work with excellence, love, and in accordance with his commands.

#3: Trust God’s promises. Romans 4:20 tells us that Abraham “gave glory to God” when he “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God.” We can do the same. God has promised you will work without the curse for eternity (see Isaiah 65:17-22), that he is working “all things” for your good (see Romans 8:28-29), and that somehow your work is “not in vain” (see 1 Corinthians 15:58). Simply trusting in these promises glorifies him!

#4: Share the gospel (and your belongings). In 2 Corinthians 9:13, Paul says that your co-workers “will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them.”

#5: Sacrifice your freedoms. The context of 1 Corinthians 10:31 (“whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”) is Paul urging his readers to sacrifice their freedoms for the good of others (see 1 Corinthians 10:23-33). And so, you can be confident you are glorifying God when you, for example, sacrifice the freedom to work from home so that you can better build relationships with the lost. Or give up your right to drink alcohol in front of a co-worker who doesn’t.

Those are just five of the many ways you can glorify God at work. I pray they will motivate you to look at every interaction, project, and meeting as an opportunity to bring glory to your heavenly Father today!

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