Let Your Work, Work On You

What Would Your Previous Employers Say About You- and Other Questions That Reveal Your Character

We all dream of life-changing moments, dramatic revelations, big breakthroughs, epic promotions, but let's face it: most days are filled with emails, spreadsheets, and passive-aggressive coffee machine encounters. Yet, perhaps these mundane moments are precisely where real growth happens.

God has a clever way of placing us into environments perfectly designed to shape us, sometimes with gentle guidance, other times with what feels suspiciously like divine sandpaper. Surprisingly, one of His favorite workshops is your actual workplace. Yes, even that workplace.

Work Is More Than a Paycheck

The Apostle Paul once wrote, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord" (Colossians 3:23). And he meant it, even if your job feels as glamorous as watching paint dry.

Why such emphasis? Because how we do our work reveals our heart, character, and integrity. It’s not just a pay check or a stepping stone; it’s an act of worship. Imagine: responding patiently to the email you've answered five times already as an act of worship. Radical, isn't it?

Everyday Tests for Everyday Leaders

Have you ever:

• Had to bite your tongue in a meeting, silently questioning if your coworker was personally sent to test your sanctification?

• Completed tasks that seemed trivial compared to your grand vision, wondering if God has a sense of humor?

• Found yourself worshiping wholeheartedly on Sunday but arriving late on Monday, gossiping instead of speaking kindly, or realising your attitude might be pushing people away?

These moments aren't distractions; they’re divine setups. It’s the quiet stretching of your patience muscle, the refinement of your humility, and the deepening of your excellence. Mediocrity multiplies faster than excellence, quietly undermining our mission and purpose. But when we pursue excellence intentionally, people notice. Excellence becomes our witness, drawing others closer to Christ.

When we resist these seemingly insignificant challenges, guess what? They stick around. "What you resist, persists." But what if, instead, we leaned into these tests, recognising them as essential tools shaping us for something bigger?

Your Work Is Your Mirror

Each project, task, or conversation is leaving behind your personal fingerprints. Have you ever paused to consider what your coworkers might say about those fingerprints?

Imagine this scenario: In a recent job interview, I asked the candidate, “What would your last employer say about you?” It was delightfully awkward, like watching someone realize they’d left spinach in their teeth halfway through dinner.

Yet, this is a brilliant question not just for interviews, but for life. Would your coworkers describe you as reliable, kind, or uplifting? Or would they say something closer to, "Well, at least they showed up"?

There’s a principle called Price’s Law, which notes that 10% of the people produce 50% of the results. My point isn’t about performance, but hearts that show diligence and intention in our craft, or the opposite. In other words, excellence invites responsibility, trust, and favour. It honours God, reflects our faith in His provision, and glorifies Him, creating a stage for His character to shine. The Church cannot afford mediocrity not now, not ever.

The Hidden Curriculum of Work

We often pray, "God, grow me!" Yet when He begins the process at our desks or in team meetings, we recoil in horror. The truth is, God rarely hands out character upgrades; He prefers on-the-job training.

Could it be that God isn't interested in moving you out of your current workplace just yet, because there's still a lesson to master right there?

Reframe the Resistance

Perhaps feeling unqualified, overwhelmed, or stretched at work isn't proof that you're failing; it's proof you're growing. The stretch means you're expanding. The discomfort means you're transforming.

So embrace the friction. Notice the patterns. And maybe, just maybe, let your work start working on you.

Model Jesus: An Excellent Gift

Without getting too pentecostal, when Jesus healed the blind man in Mark 8, He didn’t walk away after the first touch. He stayed until the man saw clearly. That's an excellent spirit- there was something about the second touch that the first touch could not do. Jesus saw it through, not just until the man could see partially, but until the man could see wholly. He didn’t say ‘oh well, at least you can see a little bit, that’ll do’. Instead he went the whole way. I wonder what would happen if we, too, saw things through and allowed our work to be an expression of our worship?

🧠 Wisdom to Digest: God might not be trying to get you out of your workplace; He might be trying to grow you in it.

Reflection Question:
What is your current role revealing about your character, and how might God be using it to shape you right now?