More Good News for a Bad Day at Work

Challenging days at work are inevitable but how can the gospel inform our response in those times? In my earlier post, I offered a couple of ways we should think about our times of adversity at work. Here are a couple more -

We can hope in Christ for our help and deliverance in times of trouble because of His love for us. Project gone awry? Look to Christ to help you in your troubled project. Facing the possibility of losing your job? Look to your loving Savior to rescue you and provide for you in the adversity.

If you're like me, you might have wondered if we can legitimately expect God to work on our behalf. After all, there are surely no guarantees and it can seem presumptous. Yet, I believe that God is glorified when we hope in Him. Even if He doesn't always resolve matters in the way we expect or hope, we should nonetheless approach on the basis that He will "work all things for he good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). In view of His proven love for us on the cross, I have come to believe that we ought to approach Christ expecting His help and deliverance. Our adversity may in fact, be designed by God for the very purpose of delivering us. After all, you can't get to see the Red Sea part if you don't find yourself backed up with the Egyptian army bearing down on you.

Another reason for hope on a bad day is to know that these trials often lead us to greater dependence on Him. In 2 Cor 1, Paul was describing some very bad days...days when he despaired even for his life. But then he goes on to say that "this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead".

Difficult times can often seem more bearable when we realize that there is a higher purpose in all of the pressing trials. God often intends for such trials to help us realize our limitations and our need of Him. During a particularly difficult week recently, I was reminded of the truth from Psalm 127 - "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain". While we're called to diligently build our businesses, execute on our projects and prepare for that critical meeting, our efforts are ultimately of little consequence without God's gracious blessing. Through the trial, I was freshly reminded of this truth... that kind of work in our lives is always cause for rejoicing.