God has an on-going assignment list for each of us. This is apart from the generalized injunctions the Lord gives us about loving our neighbor as ourselves. Some of the to-do’s are probably even directed toward taking good care of ourselves: getting more rest or more exercise, eating better, maybe even taking more breaks! God did invent the Sabbath as a day of refraining from work, after all!
I imagine God as my employer coming to me with a set of tasks to perform. My employment is not exactly contingent on my fulfilling these “requests.” God isn’t going to fire any of us. This can tempt us to put these jobs on the back burner because they seem scary, or taxing, or even simply tedious. But my advancement depends on my willingness to stretch myself in the Lord’s service. Plus, when we’re obedient to God’s call, there’s always an interesting – usually surprising – payoff.
It’s not that God negotiates or even promises wages. How do you add a bonus to a salary of eternal life? In fact, if you’re thinking about compensation, you’re in the wrong line of work.
Even so, I’ve always found myself amazed to reap so many unexpected positives when I know I’ve been on the Lord’s business. Sometimes what seem like the worst assignments end up shedding the most joy.
God is definitely into the “win-win.” The divine economy is such that I cannot be a blessing to others without somehow receiving a blessing from the Lord. Paul reminds us that Jesus explained this phenomenon: “It’s better to give than receive” (Acts 20:35).
This doesn’t mean that we always see the results of our work. It’s a privilege merely to furnish a piece of God’s plan.
So be wary if you feel resentment over the work God calls you to do. Bitterness in the Lord’s service waves a red flag and usually means you’ve picked up the wrong assignment. Time to have a talk with the Boss.
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