Serving God in Secular Work
Dear Phil,
I work a secular job that I don’t enjoy. I’d much rather be involved in a ministry-related job. How can I be in the center of God’s will in this kind of a job? How can I be contented and fulfilled when I’m not happy in my job?
Sandy
I work a secular job that I don’t enjoy. I’d much rather be involved in a ministry-related job. How can I be in the center of God’s will in this kind of a job? How can I be contented and fulfilled when I’m not happy in my job?
Sandy
Dear Sandy,
A lot of Christians who work “secular” jobs share your frustration. Let’s begin with 1 Corinthians 7:17–24. In this passage, Paul addresses Christian slaves who had no control over their lives, let alone their work. He encourages them to take advantage of any opportunity to become free (1 Cor 7:21). At the same time, he emphasizes (1 Cor 7:17, 24) that they do not have to change their life-situation in order to live in service to Christ (1 Cor 7:22).
We can infer two principles from this passage. First, it is biblically acceptable to take opportunities that God brings our way to change from a less favorable situation to a more favorable situation (i.e., from slave to free). Second, any kind of legitimate occupation, including being a slave, can be done as service to Christ. (Paul would not regard as a “legitimate occupation” forced prostitution or other sins the OT penalized as capital crimes.)
In Colossians 3:23–25, Paul addressed the situation of slaves in Colosse. In verse 23 he told them, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” The phrase “as for the Lord” is the key. They were to view themselves as serving Jesus in their slavery rather than serving their human master. Whether it was taking out the chamber pot, plowing the field, or cleaning the stable, they were to do their work in the same way they would do it for Jesus: heartily. Heartily means willing diligence. It is the opposite of foot-dragging reluctance. Someone who does work heartily does his or her best with a positive attitude.
In verses 24–25, Paul gives three reasons they should serve their human masters heartily. First, “knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward” (Col 3:24). In other words, when you serve a human master as you would serve Christ, you will be rewarded by Christ. This conclusion is supported by the parallel passage in Ephesian 6:8—“Knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.” Even taking out the chamber pot receives its reward!
Second, “You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col 3:24). Since we are actually Christ’s slaves (Rom 6:22), everything we do is service to Him. In other words, this is not just a matter of acting as if Jesus were our master or boss. He is our master!
Third, if you do wrong, you will “be paid back for the wrong [you have] done, and there is no partiality” (Col 3:25). Jesus has no tolerance for slip-shod work. If we wrong our human master, Jesus will see to it that we receive the appropriate consequences.
What does all this mean for Christians who work in “secular” jobs? It means that there is no such thing as a non-ministry job for a Christian. You are serving God just as much as the person who works in a “ministry” job. God calls Christians to jobs in the secular work place precisely so that they can be salt and light as they work for Him in those capacities. Since God is fully sovereign over our lives, if we’re walking in the light, we can assume that the job opportunities He does or does not open for us are reflections of His will for us.
Regarding contentment, remember what Solomon taught us. Meaning and satisfaction are not found in any of life’s components; they are only found in life’s Creator (Eccl 2:24; 5:18; 12:1, 13–14). When we know that we are going to be rewarded for our work and we are doing what God wants us to do, how can we not be fulfilled? Whether or not we enjoy our work, we can choose to be thankful and joyful in doing it (Col 3:17). Such an excellent spirit will glorify God (Dan 6:3; 1 Cor 10:31).
Blessings,
Phil
A lot of Christians who work “secular” jobs share your frustration. Let’s begin with 1 Corinthians 7:17–24. In this passage, Paul addresses Christian slaves who had no control over their lives, let alone their work. He encourages them to take advantage of any opportunity to become free (1 Cor 7:21). At the same time, he emphasizes (1 Cor 7:17, 24) that they do not have to change their life-situation in order to live in service to Christ (1 Cor 7:22).
We can infer two principles from this passage. First, it is biblically acceptable to take opportunities that God brings our way to change from a less favorable situation to a more favorable situation (i.e., from slave to free). Second, any kind of legitimate occupation, including being a slave, can be done as service to Christ. (Paul would not regard as a “legitimate occupation” forced prostitution or other sins the OT penalized as capital crimes.)
In Colossians 3:23–25, Paul addressed the situation of slaves in Colosse. In verse 23 he told them, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” The phrase “as for the Lord” is the key. They were to view themselves as serving Jesus in their slavery rather than serving their human master. Whether it was taking out the chamber pot, plowing the field, or cleaning the stable, they were to do their work in the same way they would do it for Jesus: heartily. Heartily means willing diligence. It is the opposite of foot-dragging reluctance. Someone who does work heartily does his or her best with a positive attitude.
In verses 24–25, Paul gives three reasons they should serve their human masters heartily. First, “knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward” (Col 3:24). In other words, when you serve a human master as you would serve Christ, you will be rewarded by Christ. This conclusion is supported by the parallel passage in Ephesian 6:8—“Knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.” Even taking out the chamber pot receives its reward!
Second, “You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col 3:24). Since we are actually Christ’s slaves (Rom 6:22), everything we do is service to Him. In other words, this is not just a matter of acting as if Jesus were our master or boss. He is our master!
Third, if you do wrong, you will “be paid back for the wrong [you have] done, and there is no partiality” (Col 3:25). Jesus has no tolerance for slip-shod work. If we wrong our human master, Jesus will see to it that we receive the appropriate consequences.
What does all this mean for Christians who work in “secular” jobs? It means that there is no such thing as a non-ministry job for a Christian. You are serving God just as much as the person who works in a “ministry” job. God calls Christians to jobs in the secular work place precisely so that they can be salt and light as they work for Him in those capacities. Since God is fully sovereign over our lives, if we’re walking in the light, we can assume that the job opportunities He does or does not open for us are reflections of His will for us.
Regarding contentment, remember what Solomon taught us. Meaning and satisfaction are not found in any of life’s components; they are only found in life’s Creator (Eccl 2:24; 5:18; 12:1, 13–14). When we know that we are going to be rewarded for our work and we are doing what God wants us to do, how can we not be fulfilled? Whether or not we enjoy our work, we can choose to be thankful and joyful in doing it (Col 3:17). Such an excellent spirit will glorify God (Dan 6:3; 1 Cor 10:31).
Blessings,
Phil