It’s so cool. After talking about the following, my wife experienced it at work. God showed her how to apply it to her work and she relaxed in her spirit even though she had to work hard all day long. ☺
Jesus is able to redeem all things in our lives if we’ll continue to seek Him and to let Him change us from glory to glory.
There’s nothing like the supernatural, attractive, invigorating Presence of the Holy Spirit when He speaks to our hearts. All else loses its importance and grip on our beings as He touches our lives with His pure love from above.
I really hope I can convey this beautiful, liberating message the Holy Spirit shared last week with me while “working.” ☺
Regarding the following, please understand that I know it’s a good thing to be a good, hard, honest worker…
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men (if I was working unto men, I was stressed out about it, I was being conformed to this world); 24 Knowing that of the Lord (I wanted it from men) ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve (I’ve wanted to be served and to Lord it over others) the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24
24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve (when we serve the Lord, we’re free to enjoy Him keeping us instead of us keeping us).
Luke 20:24-26
For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition (strife in other versions), there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
James 3:16
Working As Unto The Lord: What Does It Entail?
The Protestant Work Ethic and Working As Unto The Lord
Wow, this was such a huge blessing when the Holy Spirit talked to me about it the other day – And, He keeps bringing it up so I know it must be really important and timely.
I want so much to live in the freedom of this message. It’s so amazing to think that Jesus could really do this much of a work in us.
I don’t remember how it came up the other day, but I got to thinking about the Protestant Work Ethic (from an early age, I wanted to strive to get ahead, to work and be proud of what I’d accomplished – my health issues have interrupted my goals and desires to provide for my family, and to achieve, and it’s been frustrating) when the Holy Spirit began speaking to me about it.
I was raised to work hard, to worry, be anxious, to take on the care, pressure and responsibility, and to get stressed out about work and complain about it just like everybody else is supposed to do in this world. I heard things like, “The early bird gets the worm,” etc. I saw my own father working this way for my great uncle’s Christian organization. And, I wanted the same prestige and paybacks for being a hard worker that I saw others receiving. But, no matter how early I got up, no matter how hard I worked, I could not get ahead and it really frustrated me.
I never could understand why people (all of us) could be like Jesus for parts of their lives and weeks, and then act like the world at other times. Wasn’t it possible to live close to Jesus all the time? How could that happen? How could God show us He wanted us to have peace and to trust and rest in Him all the time?
Well, the other day the Lord began speaking to my heart. Jesus does not only want me (us) to be with Him on the weekends or in our morning devotion times. He wants me to walk in His Presence all week long. Now, I knew that but I never could reconcile that with today’s work environment. I mean, how can anyone have God’s Presence on the weekend and at home and truly expect to be able to carry that over into the job market? Is that possible?
That’s about the time Jesus spoke to my heart…
“Mark, you know all the verses I gave you while living in Oregon and how they were chosen specifically to bring you to My peace, joy, rest and love, to “keep” you, right?” “Yes, Jesus.” “Well, I want you to know that working as unto Me means that you can work free from the pressure the world experiences in their work. I want you to know that you can let Me lead you to the work I want you to do and I will bless you in it. You will not have to strive in it because you’ll be working as unto Me, not men. You can let go of all of the responsibility and care of work and work as unto Me, with My peace, with My Presence, with My help guiding you. I know you, what you wrestle with, how anxiety and trying to live up to expectations has been really difficult for you. I don’t put worldly pressures on you. I don’t cause you to compete (there’s plenty of room in my Kingdom for everyone’s work without competition so they really can relax in Me), to fret, to be prideful, to worry, to carry all that weight. No, what I have for you is rest, peace, and joy in working. I want you to have My joy in all of your life, especially in the work I give you. I want you to be able to let My peace rule in your heart while at work. I want you to not be afraid of sudden fear at work. I want you to cast all your burdens on me even at work. I don’t want you to be careful about anything, and that includes work.”
I hope you see how wonderful this is. Our Supernatural God is able to “keep” us all week long, even in our work.
Boy, I just sat here letting that soak into my heart. What an incredible time it was. And, the Lord just keeps emphasizing it in my heart. I love it when He does this sort of thing because it means He will allow me/us to “walk” (live it) in it if I’ll continue to surrender my will to Him and His wonderful plan for my life.
28 Come unto me (Jesus), all ye (anyone) that labour (working or handling life in my own strength) and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me (it’s so sweet to learn from and about Jesus and all He has for us); for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
Oh, precious Jesus…Lord to me. Please let nothing stand in the way of me learning to let You guide me into “working as unto You,” in complete rest, so I can be free in You all week long. Precious Holy Spirit, come and minister this beautiful truth to my heart.
God bless,
Mark