We were created and purposefully made to glorify God in everything—every breath and every heartbeat, every moment in between. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) reiterates, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” And again it is proclaimed in Colossians 3:17 (NIV), “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” We all have a job to do, even if we haven’t figured out our God-given life calling yet. The Bible makes it very clear that God desires certain things from us, like glorifying Him, praising Him, and spreading the glorious news of the Gospel to all around us. These are all things we can and should do even with the everyday responsibilities of schoolwork, family duties, and friendships. Someone once said that every single person is in a place of influence; it starts under the roof of your own home. You might not think you have a significant job, surely not something as bold as being a missionary, but actually, you do. It’s quite powerful to realize that the places God puts us in during certain seasons of our lives are neither accidental nor mistakes, but have such a specific purpose in the grand picture of things. God wants to work through us to further His Kingdom, and there is much importance in showing up to our jobs that God has called us to—whether that be our life mission or the everyday tasks.
As a Christian, however, it can be easy to slip into thinking that because God is in control, we can sit back, relax, and let Him do the work… after all, everything happens through Him, right? Using the analogy of a car, He has the wheel in His hands, because if you steer, you will most definitely veer off the path He has intended for you to drive on; but at the same time, you are the one who needs to be pushing the pedal so this vehicle will actually move forward into the plans He has for you, all while replenishing your fuel from Him and His Word to be able to sustain the driving. All the authority and strength come from Him and Him alone, so when you take an active role to push the pedal, you are simply following His guidance in obedience, while allowing His power to embolden you and send you into forward motion.
Scripture describes us as co-heirs of Christ, which means our lives are a partnership with Him, even as He is our Elder and the King of kings. He doesn’t rely on us in order to work miracles, pour forth blessings, or do anything at all because the power to do so comes from Him, not us. But because He loves us so dearly and has a special purpose for each of us in His wondrous plans, He chooses to work through His children. At the same time, John 15:5 (NKJV) reminds us, “I [Christ] am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Through the Holy Spirit, as John 14:12-13 says, we have been given authority to “do even greater things” than the works Jesus performed during His time on earth, but again, the verses state that this power and authority comes from Him alone and work to bring glory to His wonderful Name.
Working for the Lord is something He commands of us. In Haggai, chapter two, the Lord spoke life and revival into His weary people, telling them to “‘be strong…and work’” (Haggai 2:4 NIV). He even gives us many reasons that we should lift our heads and do the work unto Him, “‘for I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty” (Haggai 2:4 NIV). We are able to do all things for His glory and through His strength because He is with us in every moment. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) confirms this, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Therefore, our goal should always be what Philippians 3:14 (NIV) declares: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” The Lord is not only so worthy of our praise, but of our work too. Serving Him is another amazing way to bring glory and worship to our King.
We cannot even begin to fathom the heights God will take us and the miracles He will work through us when we dedicate our lives to serving Him and glorifying His Name through each and every little thing we do. The simple tasks become a special and purposeful way to worship Him, and the joy of the grander tasks becomes amplified. And as we work unto Him, we find that as Colossians 1:29 (ESV) says, “For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.” As we abide in Him, we bear His fruit, and He continues His wonderful work within us to make us more and more like Him.
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