There are so many dissatisfied brothers and sisters engaging 8am – 5pm or 40hr/week jobs in organizations that was once their ultimate dream. Many express a feeling of emptiness, springing from unfulfilled spiritual dreams and expectations.
In the past few weeks, I’ve spent quality time with a good number of friends that hold enviable positions in reputable companies. It seems most of them have common challenges- finding fulfillment and a connection between their everyday work with God’s quest for global worship via missions.
The key unasked question seems to be, “How do I maximize my everyday office work for Kingdom exploits?”
Many have set out to pursue careers that looked great but seems short of God’s dreams for them as they struggle to find the balance that’d bring the Kingdom agenda into focus with what they do.
For some, the resources to be more than they are currently are obvious, but the will to engage is stifled by narrow vision, fear, selfish choices or all three. I continue to insist that the best you can be is what God created you to be.
Unfortunately, some demean God’s plans for their life because it doesn’t look attractive enough or even at all. What’s your life goal relative to God’s ultimate pursuit in this world? If you don’t know, then, all other petitions should wait until this one is resolved.
Some have put in great effort and still not made it to the top of the ladder of their career yet, some are nearer there today than yesterday; but they’re beginning to think that this ladder may be leaning on the wrong wall. This is better imagined than experienced. You may have been defined by your work and now, you know that that definition is wrong. What do you do, quit? I wish I could say, “yes quit”, but what’s God saying to you? Where is He leading you today? Is the challenge more with your work or with your understanding of its use?
Some have said to me, “Uche, take me with you to Sudan. I want to come with you to Sudan.” They’ve not made it yet. Maybe there’s so such to consider, to surrender, to attend to, maybe even fears to overcome etc.
But must you go? Should you leave that work (even for a few weeks) and make a mission trip across borders in order to feel good about yourself or to feel connected to God’s global cause or just to silence the voice of a troubled conscience that’s constantly running from a call. If any of these inspire your missions involvement, you’ve successfully missed the point.
Becoming a missionary or going on short term mission trips (though we need so much more of those) does not provide answers to the question- how can your daily 8-hours of paid employment make significant Kingdom impact?
I believe that what you do should be as important to the Kingdom as what you’re paid for it; though all jobs do not have the same immediate Kingdom value. An 8hours a day work, manufacturing buttons is not the same as 8hours a day work, translating the Bible into a language without one or even researching on a vaccine for malaria.
You may not have the privilege of switching careers or looking for another work as there are not many out there anyway, but you can maximize your potentials and privileged position for God’s glory in that same work and witness firsthand, a radical attitudinal change doing the same things with a new perspective.
A new perspective could mean simplifying your life by choosing to live on the income of an average missionary in the region of your interest and thereby save more money to support many more on the field or send out others willing and able to go. If you think God has called you to support missions, you should be thinking this way.
A new perspective could mean adopting a missionary (household inclusive) and do one or all of the following: send them regular moral support via sms, emails and phone calls; spend more time in prayer for them and their ministry. With every contact you make, with every prayer you say for this missionary, you’re visiting with him on site.
A new Kingdom perspective could involve adopting orphans around you or overseas and working to raise their standard of living with special emphasis on their spiritual welfare.
God calls all of us to share our resources in time and treasures for Kingdom expansion. It will cost us dearly; else, our obedience is suspect.
Your current work may be humdrum and senseless in your estimation, relative to how it promotes Christ’s fame in the nations. But with fresh perspectives and focused living, you could change the destinies of many and sharpen yours.
Apostle Paul said, “Work from the heart for your real Master, for God; confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ.” (Col 3:23-14 The Msg)
Kingdom Exploits With Uche 
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