Devotional: Working for the Lord

author: Charles Stanley
source: crosswalk

Charles testimony:
When I was a boy, I used to get up at 5 AM to deliver newspapers. It
was always pitch black outside. Sometimes it would be very cold,
raining, or even snowing heavily. I remember lying in my comfortable
bed and telling God how much I dreaded going outside. I didn't want to
get wet. I didn't want to be cold. Worse yet, I was afraid of the
dark!

Yet God worked in my heart to help me see the situation differently. I
began to say, ?I'm not delivering these newspapers for my customers.
I'm doing it for Jesus. He's going to receive this paper.?

Suddenly my attitude turned around. I would get started no matter what
the time or weather! In my own childish way, I had stumbled on the
secret of success in the Christian life, the key to fruitful service:
Whatever you are doing, do it as if you are doing it for the Lord.

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In the sixth chapter of Ephesians, Paul tells us ?With good will
render service, as to the Lord, and not to men...? In Colossians 3:23,
he says it again: ?Whatever you do, do your work heartily as for the
Lord rather than for men...?

In other words, it doesn't matter if you are leading a corporation or
mopping its floors-you are called to serve God in and through
everything you do. Once you adopt this attitude, once you learn to
focus on Whom you are serving instead of what you are doing, amazing
changes will happen:

The quality of your work will improve.
After all, now you are not working for an earthly boss, but for your
Father in heaven.

You will be protected from discouragement.
It does not matter whether or not you've been complimented or thanked
for your work-because you already know how much He approves of you and
loves you.

You will grow in self-esteem.
We all have a need to feel competent, important and worthy. God always
rewards us for our service with a sense of satisfaction and belonging
we will not find any other way.

You will not be afraid to fail. In fact, when we serve God we cannot
fail because true service is not something we do for God, but rather
something God does through us.

In First Thessalonians 5:24, Paul says, Faithful is He who calls you,
and He also will bring it to pass. God assumes full responsibility for
enabling us to carry out the work He's called us to do, whatever that
may be!