Experiencing The Kingdom of God at Work: – Part 2 Trust
Trusting God in All Your Ways
As believers, we often long to do “church work” because we have a deep desire to work for God and with God. This is an admirable aspiration, but did you know that God wants to work for you right where you are – at your job, in your workplace? He desires for your workplace to be a place where you experience His activity and His presence every single day.
In this blog post, we’ll explore one of the three key things that can help us experience God’s presence and activity at our workplace: trust. In the previous post, we looked at the importance of thanksgiving. Now, let’s dive into the power of trusting God in all our ways.
The Scripture passage that serves as the foundation for this topic is Proverbs 3:5-6, which says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” This powerful promise from God challenges us to have confidence and boldness in Him with all our heart – our will, our mind, and our emotions. We are called to lean on Him, not on our own natural understanding of how things should work.
The Struggle to Trust God at Work
However, this is often easier said than done. Our trust in God tends to have a direct correlation to the level of belief or confidence we have in His competency and knowledge. Let me explain further:
Imagine you were in legal trouble and needed a lawyer. If you hired a world-class attorney who had a proven track record of winning cases, you would likely have a great deal of confidence and trust in their abilities. But what if that same lawyer told you they could perform heart surgery on you? You would probably decline, because you know they have expertise in law, but not in the medical field.
Unfortunately, we often make this same mistake when it comes to our view of God. We believe that God has an area of expertise called the “spiritual world” or “spiritual things,” but we have little to no confidence in His competency when it comes to our vocations, our work, or our jobs. We see God as the God of the sermon, but not the God of science. We view Him as the God of the worship service, but not the God of engineering.
This kind of compartmentalized thinking leads us to not fully acknowledge God in our professional lives and invite Him to direct our paths. We end up relying solely on our own understanding and abilities, rather than trusting in God’s infinite wisdom and knowledge.
God is the God of All Wisdom and Knowledge
But the truth is, God is not limited to certain areas of expertise. He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth – there is no domain or field of study that is outside of His purview. Colossians 2:3 declares that “in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” This must include our vocational knowledge and professional expertise as well.
God wants us to know that He is not just the God of the spiritual realm, but the God of the natural realm and all professions. He desires to be actively involved in every aspect of our lives, including our work.
We see this truth illustrated in various passages of Scripture. For example, in Exodus 31:3-4, God says, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze.” Here, God is imparting specific vocational wisdom and skills to a craftsman, not just a preacher or teacher.
Another example is found in Isaiah 28:26-29, where God is described as the one who “gives the farmer great wisdom” in how to properly thresh and crush grain. This passage demonstrates that God is intimately involved in providing vocational insight and understanding, even for agricultural work.
Perhaps the most well-known example is that of King Solomon, who was renowned for his unparalleled wisdom. As we examine the breadth of Solomon’s expertise, we see that it encompassed a wide range of professions and vocations – from botany to animal husbandry, from leadership to interior design, from marketing to governance, and beyond. This wisdom did not come from Solomon himself, but from God, the source of all wisdom and knowledge.
More recently, we can look at the example of George Washington Carver, the brilliant agricultural scientist who made groundbreaking discoveries about the peanut. Carver attributed his innovative insights to his deep relationship with God, who revealed to him the hidden purposes and uses of the peanut through prayer and scientific exploration.
Trusting God in Your Vocation
These examples illustrate that God is not just the God of the spiritual realm, but the God of all realms – including our vocations and professions. He desires to work with us and through us in our workplaces, empowering us with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge that goes beyond our own natural abilities.
So how do we practically apply this truth to our lives? The key is to trust God with all our heart, not leaning on our own vocational understanding, but acknowledging Him in all our professional ways. When we do this, He promises to direct our paths and give us success in our work.
This may require a shift in our mindset. Instead of compartmentalizing God and relegating Him to the “spiritual” realm, we must recognize that He is the God of all creation, including our workplaces. We need to be willing to ask Him for wisdom and insight regarding our specific vocations, trusting that He will provide understanding that exceeds our own.
Practical Steps to Trusting God at Work
- Pray for Wisdom: Regularly ask God to give you wisdom, understanding, and knowledge regarding your work. Invite Him to be an active participant in your professional life.
- Acknowledge God’s Presence: Throughout your workday, consciously recognize that God is with you and at work in your workplace. Invite Him to guide your decisions and actions.
- Seek God’s Direction: When faced with challenges or important decisions at work, take time to pause and seek God’s guidance. Trust that He will make your paths straight as you acknowledge Him.
- Apply Biblical Principles: Look for ways to apply biblical wisdom and principles to your work. How can you demonstrate integrity, excellence, and a servant’s heart in your professional duties?
- Share Your Faith: Be open about your faith and trust in God with your colleagues. Allow them to see God’s activity and presence working through you.
As you take these steps to trust God in all your ways at work, you will begin to experience His presence and activity in new and profound ways. You will see Him provide wisdom, open doors, and grant you success that goes beyond your own abilities. Most importantly, your colleagues will witness the reality of God’s kingdom at work in your life, and many may be drawn to the hope and peace you possess.
So let us heed the wise counsel of Proverbs 3:5-6 and trust in the Lord with all our heart, not leaning on our own understanding. In all our professional ways, let us acknowledge Him, and watch as He makes our paths straight and directs our steps. The God of all creation is ready and willing to work with us and for us in our workplaces – all we need to do is trust Him.
