There is excellence in perspective
In my quiet time one morning, I was reminded that the way to truly hear God is to get up close to Him and listen. I have often doubted my ability to hear God actually speaking to me. Through the preaching of the Word, the teachings of a Godly bible class leader and others I am more certain than ever of one overarching theme.
When I spend time in the Word with a heart that prayerfully seeks to hear, I get what I seek. The times I doubt are the times when I have allowed things of the world to steal my attention and affections away from the One that counts the most.
"The light of the body is the eye; if therefore the eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if the eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness." Mt 6:22-23
Our eyes allow us to see the world around us but they do not determine how we view it. That is determined by what is in the heart, the deeper part of our being. Our perspective is shaped throughout life by a number of things including our relationship with God, our family environment, wider circles of influence, the culture, our choices, and boundaries we put in place.
When perspective is dark and negative oh, how great is that darkness! It reflects in every area of life including work. Adversely, when perspective is light and positive every area of life is brighter including work. Are you sensing a pattern here? Good.
Does this mean a shining perspective produces nothing but sunshine and butterflies? It does not. The world is full of darkness. But this is what I heard God telling me as I listened closely to Him this morning through Jesus’s words in Matthew 6: 20-24.
We can choose to view tough vocational circumstances through a dark lens of perspective and allow misery and hopelessness to rule every thought. We can feel stuck in a low paying job and feel the work is beneath us. We can dwell on the fear of losing a job. We can feel anxious that we are one customer away from the collapse of our business. Oh, how great is the darkness as it consumes every thought and deed and dictates even how we do our work.
Further into Matthew chapter 6 I discovered the very reason we need to prayerfully seek God’s perspective and choose to see things from a lighter point of view. God knows our needs and knows what is best for us and He will provide. He has promised to do so, and God doesn’t break promises.
When our whole body is a conduit of God's light we see opportunity and provision instead of hopelessness. The negative forces that come at us are ineffective when we focus on our vocation as a means to bring glory to our Savior and bring excellence to a world that desperately needs the Light.
Want some practical ideas to turn darkness into light?
Spend time in the Word. Listen to the Father and learn His perspective. He will give you the power to make it your own.
Pray for God to remind you who you really work for. Knowing who the real boss is will change the way you view the work.
Establish core values that line up with the the Truth. Then stand on those values without compromise.
Do the best job possible, no matter the task. It could be the very thing that opens the door to something better.
Develop a ‘glass half-full’ attitude. Always seek and point out the positive in a situation. This one takes practice but works wonders!
Be the light that your customers, coworkers, and colleagues notice, appreciate, and are drawn to.
Look for opportunities to turn everyday conversations into Jesus conversations. Pray the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) into your own life and the Father will bring those opportunities.
How you see your work matters both spiritually and practically. View your day in the light of the Master you serve and you will bring excellence to the workplace.
Can you use a little help with these practical steps or a prayer partner to stand with you during tough times in the workplace? I can help. I have been where you are and have realized that it is a very lonely road to travel when you travel it alone. Let me help you live out your God-ordained purpose at work and in business.
Join our closed Facebook group “Believers in Business" and contact me via messenger through that group. I’ll get you my private contact information and come alongside you in your journey to see the workplace from a brighter perspective.