Burnout.

Colossians 3:23

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,"

No matter how engaged you are with the work your doing, there comes a point that you just feel like you're not going anywhere. You feel bored. Everything that seems enjoyable before, suddenly feels like a routine. Finally, you ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?" or "Is this worth it?" In short, you've burned out.

Most of us do well in our jobs so that, let's face it, our bosses or the management could take notice of us. We always look for the opportunity to step up so that we could show them what we're made of and that we could handle any task that they hand over us. Deep in our hearts, we work for recognition and to earn praise from them. Whether it is in the form of promotion, raise, or even a commendation. Some people become engaged at work because it's new and interesting for them. But what if the appreciation doesn't happen or the interest fades away? What do you do?

Well, people occasionally tend to be demoralized especially at work. Employees lose focus. We lost interest when things get old and boring. When the things we expect from our "earthly masters" are not given, we become frustrated. But in Colossians 3:23, a much better perspective is given to us by the apostle Paul when it comes to work.

It is said in verse 23 that we must work with all our heart as we are working for the Lord and not for human masters. Indeed, we are employed by companies, institutions, or even the government. However, as followers of Christ, we must always take into heart that in a way, we are working for the Lord not just for the company. In a sense, we work so we could earn money to provide for our needs but eventually, all the provision we receive is from the great provider which is the Lord.

It's normal to feel bored and demoralized once in a while especially when work becomes like a routine. But we should be mindful that work itself is a blessing by God and not some sort of curse. Yes, it's tough to work when you are not engaged and when the task is not interesting anymore. But nevertheless, we should still put our hearts into our work. Also, as believers, we are called to be representatives of Christ everywhere and in anything we think, say, or do. By doing so, we are not just blessed individually but also the people around us and the place we belong.

Reflect on this: Do you feel you've burned out? If so, what's the cause? How does God help you to refresh your perspective with work?

Prayer: Oh, Great Lord, I call unto you to give thanks! Thank you for the blessing of work. Because of this gift, I can duly provide not just for my family's need but for the church also. Truly, you are gracious.

I also call to you to seek your forgiveness. Lord, I am guilty of losing focus and sight of my goal in our workplace. Indeed, I am there to work, but I am also there to be a testimony for others that I am with Christ. That I serve you, the lord of lords and king of kings, my God.

Help me, Lord, to not burnout, but instead, burn with passion when it comes to work. Let me be revitalized and refreshed so that I could show my "earthly masters" that I do not just work for them, but I work for Your glory and honor. Let Colossians 3:23 be one of my motivation and inspiration everyday. All praise be to you. Amen!

True faith?

Matthew 14:31

"Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

In Matthew 14:22-36, we are shown how followers of Christ tends to doubt His power and glory at times. Here, the disciples saw that Jesus walked on water. But instead of praising this miraculous display of his power, they suddenly turned afraid of Him. Doubting the power of the Lord in the process.

I must confess that I too, am guilty of this kind of reaction at times. Especially during work days when I'm assigned to complete difficult and urgent tasks. The fact that I doubt myself is bad enough. But what's worse is that I am not putting that much faith in God. I still doubt Him. Not just at work, but in some parts of my life in general. In a way, I am underestimating his power and sovereignty. And I am ashamed of this.

For if I were truly belong in Jesus Christ, I should not doubt His power over all things in my life. His sovereignty and faithfulness should be more than enough of an assurance that He will take care of the things in our life. But this does not mean we should not exert effort. It is given, that we should also do our part in His grand scheme of things.

Amazingly, my doubt at times is always replaced by awe. Because just when I thought my work or things in my life seems hopeless, God intervenes and blesses me wisdom, knowledge, and strength to accomplish it. God is so faithful to that he shows to me that I should not doubt His power. Ever. For He will never leave me or forsake me. Especially when I need Him. He just wants me to put ALL of my faith in Him and his Son Jesus Christ. And this is true for all of us.

When God tells us to walk on the "waters" of our life, we should do this wholeheartedly. Fully trusting God and His power over all things. Because this gives praise and glory to Him. That we are willfully submitting our lives to Him. We must not commit the mistake that Peter did in Matthew 14:30. The mistake of not having true faith in the works of Jesus Christ in our lives, for we will surely drown.

Reflect on this: Do you believe that God has total control of everything in your life? If not, who does? Have you ever experienced God's power over your life? What helps you to fully trust and put your faith in God?

Prayer: Sovereign God, I thank you for having total control on all the things in my life. Thank you by putting up with us though we tend to be doubtful and unfaithful to you. This just shows your compassion, love, faithfulness to us.

Forgive us, Oh Lord, for even thinking of having doubts in You. Let us be reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 14:31, that we should not be of little faith. Instead, change our hearts, change our beliefs, change our ways. Let us come towards you by walking above the treacherous "waters" of life with full confidence in Your power. Remind us that by putting all our faith in you, we will surely be safe from drowning.

Praise be to you, my Lord, my Redeemer, my Savior. Amen.

Work-Life Balance?

Mark 8:36

"For what will it profit a man if gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"

These past few weeks at the office really took it's toll on my time with my family. I get so engaged at work that I lose track of time. More often than not, I arrive late at home. Causing me to miss the opportunity to see my children awake.

For me, family is very important. Next to God, I put my family second in priority. Given that I'm a single parent, every minute spent with my kids are precious to me. Since I started to commit myself to being the father God wanted me to be, I wanted to spend more time with them. To play with them. To eat with them. To pray and worship God with them. I want to catch up on the  time I wasted treating them bitterly in the past.

However, since I just recently changed my way of work (from functional consultant to a developer), I do tend to extend my working hours due to the enjoyment and fulfillment of what I do. And since God gave me this opportunity, I want to make the best out of it. I want to seize it so to speak.

But, is enjoying work really worth it if the price to pay is losing time with my family?

I think what was said in Mark 8:36 clearly answers my question, with a question. Yes, I do enjoy countless hours of working at the office. I can be blessed by God by allowing me to be promoted at work. Which will eventually result on having a higher paying salary. I may gain the trust and confidence of my co-workers and leaders. But at the end of the day, the question that I ask myself is this: "Are these things really more important than my family?".

Indeed, we tend to take pride with the job that we do. We want to do our best while we're at it. But if losing our loved ones; friends, parents, relatives, or even kids in the process is not good at all. For what is the purpose of having all the fame, glory, and riches of the world if we won't have anyone to share it with? Also, this can sometimes lead to idolatry. Thinking that our job is the most important thing in our life. And this is not what God wants for us. He wants us to live our lives only for Him.

May the Bible always remind us of our true priorities in life. Remember, everything in this world only exists temporarily. Though God will never go away, nothing in this world will ever last aside from Him. This includes our loved ones. So, make the most out of every moment with them. As much as possible, take time to pray and give thanks to the Lord for the opportunity to be with them. There's nothing bad in doing hard work. But if we'll lose our "soul" in the process, we should think again.

Reflect on this: Do you spend quality time with your loved ones? If not, why? When was the last time you went home early just to enjoy the remaining part of the day with your family? What is your priority in life?

Prayer: Oh Lord, thank you for questioning my beliefs by what you have said in Mark 8:36. Thank you for making us realize that we should not lose focus on what's important in this life. We must always put you, our God, as top priority. But what's next to you is real important too; our family.

Forgive us Lord, if we tend to look at other things that seem of great importance to us. Making us idolaters in the process. Forgive us if we tend to take for granted the time you've given us to spend with our loved ones. Lord, redirect our focus on the more important things in life. Things that of greater value. Things that glorifies and honors you. We pray for your guidance, God, in everything we do. Amen.

A joke or an insult?

Ephesians 5:4

"Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving."

Nothing really beats a good laugh. Whether you're watching a comedy show, listening to the funny comments of a DJ while tuned in to a radio program, or just having a good chat with friends or family.

Most of the time, a good laugh is caused by a funny joke cracked up by someone. More often than not, a joke tends to become an indirect attack to person which we think is funny or is worth laughing at. Sometimes, people tend to forget that emotions can be hurt in the process.

And I am guilty of this most of the time. I tend to crack up jokes which seems funny but can be really offensive or insulting to another person. For the sake of laughter, I tend to forget that I can be hurting someone else's emotion.

Ephesians 5:4 serves as a wake up call for me and for those with the same "joker" attitude.

Paul tells us in Chapter 5 that we should have a Christ like attitude and behavior. This of course includes the way we speak to others. Specifically, in verse 4, Paul tells us that we should watch our mouths when talking to others. We should not speak or act in a way that may degrade, offend, or insult another person. For this kind of behavior does not please the Lord. Instead, things that would build up or give blessings to others should flood our mouth.

We must always remember that if we really are in Christ, we should only do things that would be pleasing to God. And hurting someone's feelings is not pleasing at all. It's nice to have a good laugh. But if you'll eventually hurt someone and insult God in the process, you might want to just clear that thought from your head.

Reflect on this: Have you ever told a joke to someone that really offended him/her? If yes, what did you feel? Are you living the way God wants you to live by telling jokes that can be insulting?

Prayer: Lord, what Paul said in Ephesians 5:4 convicts me. I am indeed guilty of having filthy, foolish, and crude words come out from my mouth. Instead of giving thanks to you, I insult you in the process. And I ask forgiveness for this.

Dear God, change the way I speak to others. Instead of malicious, green, or insulting words come from my mouth. Let it be words that show care, love and humility. Let your words resonate in my heart so I could share them with others. Let thanksgiving flow from the inner depths of my soul towards other people. Glorifying you, God, in the process.

Guide me Lord, show me the way you want me to live. I put all my faith in you. For you alone can change me. Lead me. Save me. Amen.

The usual Monday blues.

Psalm 16:8

"I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken"

Have you ever had that feeling that you'll have a very busy week because of the degree of work you've done on a Monday afternoon? Well, I do. Being in the IT industry, you never really can tell whether you'll have an easy going week or not. Not unless you start your Monday fully loaded with tasks (paperwork, meetings, etc.). But regardless of the type of work you do, and when worst comes to worst, what do you do?

Most people rely on their ability to multitask or to handle things at a very organized way based on priority and urgency. Some practice the way of delegation, though this is more common for higher level positions on a company. And unfortunately for some, the term "come what may" seems enough.

Let's face it, managing tasks can be a bit overwhelming. In fact, it's a common problem for the most of us. For me, before the work day starts or when things get a little out of hand and I can't seem to find the right way to do stuff, I just take a moment, bow down, and close my eyes to pray. Prayers. Simple right? But this is the most underestimated way of handling the pressures of work in the corporate world.

As said in the first part of Psalm 16:8, we must always put the Lord before us. This applies to everything and anything. Whether be it a meeting at work, exam at school, or even caring for our kids at home. We should always ask God to guide us in everything we do. We do not do this so God can give us a favor to do things for us. But it's more on the fact that we glorify Him by acknowledging that we can't do anything without Him. We are helpless without God.

When we raise our concerns and weaknesses to God, He hears them. He gives us the strength to brace ourselves so we would not be easily shaken by earthly struggles. Work included. He will give us the wisdom and knowledge to work things out. He will provide comfort when our minds and bodies reaches it's limit. God is more than willing to help us when we ask Him personally.

So before you do anything at the start of the day, spend time with God. Ask for His help. Give thanks for the opportunity of glorifying Him. God hears. God listens. All we have to do is ask.

Reflect on this: Have you ever thought of praying before facing the day at work? If not, why not call to God? Have you ever had the feeling that God helped you all through out the day because tasks seemed to be so easy to accomplish?

Prayers: My Lord, thank you for the strength that you always provide for me. Today, I am reminded that I cannot do things alone. That I can't do a thing without you guiding me. Oh God, with your grace and mercy, I know I would not be easily shaken. For you are my rock.

Dear Lord, always remind me that in everything we do in our lives, we should always put you first. Because as what you did for us, though we have sinned again and again, you have set us first before anything else. Not allowing us to pay the penalty of sin by sacrificing your Son, Jesus Christ. Showing your true mercy and grace in the process.

Lord, thank you. For in you and you alone, we will always find strength. Praise be to you. Amen.