Are you all tangled up at work by Original Sin?
Why can it be so hard to work in God's presence?
There's the usual reasons about how busy we are, how pressed we are by demands from bosses or customers. Just getting things done on time sometimes means no time for anything but the task at hand.
All that's true, yet some people do it. They sanctify their work. Saints certainly did (and do). Maybe you do. Why not the rest of us?
It's the spirit of the world. We're tied up in it. We're born into it and wrapped up in it. That's one of those things that happened to us as a result of Original Sin. And we can't get seem to get untangled.
So bringing the Holy Spirit into our workplace means we ask Him to untangle us from the spirit of the world: "Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful and enkindle in us the fire of thy love." We ask for the fire of His love to burn through the knots that tie us down to this world.
But wait! I'm being paid to do a job. I owe my employer (or my customers if I own the business) those 8 hours (or more!) of effort every working day. I've got to be fully "here." I can't be somewhere off in "spirit-land."
Don't worry. God knows you've got to put that full effort into your work. He appreciates your trying to do your best for your employer and your customer. Your striving to do a good job, your striving for perfection in your work gives glory to God - at least it does if that is your intention.
In my last post, I talked about the small stuff. You give glory to God in that small stuff. And any one of us can do those little things throughout the day - at least one or two.
Yet there are those days where even the small stuff escapes our attention. That's OK. (It happens to me a lot more than I like to think about.) You can still offer up your work before you start your day, before you get all tangled up in your work.
So at least start your day with that intention: with Your help, by Your grace, I will work this day for Your greater glory.
There's the usual reasons about how busy we are, how pressed we are by demands from bosses or customers. Just getting things done on time sometimes means no time for anything but the task at hand.
All that's true, yet some people do it. They sanctify their work. Saints certainly did (and do). Maybe you do. Why not the rest of us?
It's the spirit of the world. We're tied up in it. We're born into it and wrapped up in it. That's one of those things that happened to us as a result of Original Sin. And we can't get seem to get untangled.
So bringing the Holy Spirit into our workplace means we ask Him to untangle us from the spirit of the world: "Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful and enkindle in us the fire of thy love." We ask for the fire of His love to burn through the knots that tie us down to this world.
But wait! I'm being paid to do a job. I owe my employer (or my customers if I own the business) those 8 hours (or more!) of effort every working day. I've got to be fully "here." I can't be somewhere off in "spirit-land."
Don't worry. God knows you've got to put that full effort into your work. He appreciates your trying to do your best for your employer and your customer. Your striving to do a good job, your striving for perfection in your work gives glory to God - at least it does if that is your intention.
In my last post, I talked about the small stuff. You give glory to God in that small stuff. And any one of us can do those little things throughout the day - at least one or two.
Yet there are those days where even the small stuff escapes our attention. That's OK. (It happens to me a lot more than I like to think about.) You can still offer up your work before you start your day, before you get all tangled up in your work.
So at least start your day with that intention: with Your help, by Your grace, I will work this day for Your greater glory.
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