Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Thanks for Thorns and ThistlesDevotional: 5 of 5As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:9-11)In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry stumbles upon an enchanted mirror. Unlike normal mirrors, this one does not show the reflection of the person standing in front of it. Instead, it shows a reflection of “the deepest, most desperate desire” of that person’s heart.But the object inside the mirror is just a mirage—a tantalizing vision trapped on the other side of the glass. This, of course, drives the mirror’s visitors mad with frustration. But you and I both know this is a blessing in disguise. Because even if they were able to get their hands on the object of their affection, unless that object was Christ, it would inevitably disappoint.My temptation, and I think yours, is to look to our careers for the very thing Harry was searching for inside that mirror—complete and cosmic joy. But as Jesus makes clear in today’s passage, our joy will only be made complete through his love.Not through our families. Not through our health. Not through landing a promotion, selling your business, or being recognized in your field.And so, we can praise God for the days when our work feels like less than complete joy. Because our “painful toil” is reminding us that Christ alone can fully satisfy us. For this reason, John Mark Comer says this:“I think the curse is a blessing in camouflage. It’s God’s love in disguise. His mercy incognito. Because the curse drives us to God. If it weren’t for the curse…we would look to whatever it is we do for work or rest, and we would find it. And nothing could be more disastrous for the world than God’s image bearers finding identity and belonging and even satisfaction apart from him.”Should we lament over cursed work? Absolutely! Because God didn’t design our work to be painful (see Genesis 1-2 and Isaiah 65).But as we’ve seen in this series, we can also praise God for the blessings he brings us through cursed, frustrating, painfully difficult work. Because “thorns and thistles”:Force us to rely on GodHumble us and compel us to rely on othersLead us to long for eternity with Christ when work will be perfect once againCreate empathy that helps us to make work less painful for othersEnsure that nothing but Christ will ever fully satisfy usIn light of those truths, give thanks for the thorns and thistles you encounter in your work today!

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Thanks for Thorns and ThistlesDevotional: 4 of 5Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)When I was researching my next book, I read tons of dense books with “paragraphs” that spanned entire pages—sometimes multiple pages. Every time I approached another mammoth passage, I felt exhausted before I even began reading. It felt like the cognitive equivalent of staring up at Mount Everest before an ascent.After complaining about my own pain long enough (first-world problems, I know), the Lord reminded me that I’ve written some long paragraphs myself. And if long paragraphs made my work feel arduous, my longwindedness probably makes your reading feel arduous too.So I went back through the manuscript I was writing and took a machete to the document, chopping every paragraph down to size.That’s a small example of one reason I think we can all give thanks for the “thorns and thistles” that make our work difficult: Painful work can create empathy that leads us to make work less painful for others. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, thorny work can lead you to, “look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).Let’s apply this principle to your own work today. Maybe you feel overwhelmed by the number of meetings you’re being asked to attend this week. Instead of sitting in your own frustration, what if you channeled that pain into love for your neighbor? What if you looked at the meetings you’ve invited others to and questioned whether or not those meetings would serve them well?Or let’s say you’re frustrated by emails that distract you at all hours of the day. Instead of focusing on “your own interests,” what if you looked “to the interests of others” who work for you? What if you sent them a message letting them off the hook for feeling like they have to respond immediately to your emails so that they can work with less distraction?If you took those actions, you could certainly give thanks for the thorns and thistles in your work, because they will have led you to better love your neighbor as yourself.Spend a couple of minutes in silence this morning naming which aspects of your work are most frustrating to you. Pray that God would allow that pain to lead to creative ideas for making work less painful for those you work with. And then give thanks that God can use even the broken things of this world for his glory and the good of others.

Jesus, a central figure in Christianity, wore a crown of thorns to symbolize the curse of work. However, his resurrection represents a future where work will be a blessing again. Christ's blessings extend to our cursed work, offering hope for a restored and fulfilling future.

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Thanks for Thorns and ThistlesDevotional: 2 of 5When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble. (Proverbs 11:2)A few weeks ago, I was having dinner with one of my favorite authors—someone who has sold millions more books than I have.I was picking my friend’s brain on publishing and book marketing, when all of a sudden, he started asking me questions about marketing children’s books.Given the massive respect I have for this person, I was really taken aback by his questions. “Why are you asking me about book marketing?” I asked.My friend replied, “Because I have not cracked the nut on children’s books, and honestly, it’s been a bit frustrating. You, on the other hand, seem to have figured this out.”After muttering some false humility, my friend cut me off by quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Jordan,” he said, “Everyone I meet is my superior in some way.”I love that perspective. And my friend only had it because of the frustrating “thorns and thistles” he has experienced in his work (see Genesis 3:17-18).Last week, we saw that we should give thanks for thorns and thistles because they force us to rely on God. But we should also thank God for our “painful toil” because it forces us to rely on others. That’s a tremendous blessing for two reasons.First, when we rely on others we get wisdom! The pain caused by “thorns and thistles” leads to humility and that humility leads to wisdom (see Proverbs 11:2). Second, when we rely on others they get blessed! Because you are giving them a chance to use their God-given gifts to serve you. If the person you’re relying on is a believer, you’re giving them a chance to earn eternal rewards by helping you (see Ephesians 6:8)!What problem can’t you seem to solve in your work today? Don’t pridefully keep it to yourself. Share your struggles with someone who can help. And thank God for the thorns and thistles that forced you to rely more on him and your neighbor.

The hosts discuss the concept of giving thanks for the challenges of work, share personal experiences, and emphasize the importance of relying on God in the face of uncertainty and frustration.

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Wisdom for Work from the PsalmsDevotional: 7 of 7“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.” (Psalm 50:23) “Glorify” is one of those Christianese terms we use so much that its meaning can feel muddled. So, when you read a passage like 1 Corinthians 10:31 that urges you to do “whatever you do…for the glory of God,” you might understandably wonder what that looks like practically—especially in the workplace.Let’s look to God’s Word to remove some of the mystery together. Here are just five ways Scripture says you can “glorify” God at work today.#1: Give thanks. Psalm 50:23 makes clear that simply thanking God for the gift of your work and the fruit it’s producing “glorifies” him.#2: Do good work. Jesus said, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The Greek word ergon that we translate to “good works” here literally means “work, task, [and] employment.” And so, you can be confident you are glorifying God today when you simply do your work with excellence, love, and in accordance with his commands.#3: Trust God’s promises. Romans 4:20 tells us that Abraham “gave glory to God” when he “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God.” We can do the same. God has promised you will work without the curse for eternity (see Isaiah 65:17-22), that he is working “all things” for your good (see Romans 8:28-29), and that somehow your work is “not in vain” (see 1 Corinthians 15:58). Simply trusting in these promises glorifies him!#4: Share the gospel (and your belongings). In 2 Corinthians 9:13, Paul says that your co-workers “will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them.”#5: Sacrifice your freedoms. The context of 1 Corinthians 10:31 (“whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”) is Paul urging his readers to sacrifice their freedoms for the good of others (see 1 Corinthians 10:23-33). And so, you can be confident you are glorifying God when you, for example, sacrifice the freedom to work from home so that you can better build relationships with the lost. Or give up your right to drink alcohol in front of a co-worker who doesn’t.Those are just five of the many ways you can glorify God at work. I pray they will motivate you to look at every interaction, project, and meeting as an opportunity to bring glory to your heavenly Father today!

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Wisdom for Work from the PsalmsDevotional: 6 of 7Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you….What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? (Psalm 116:7, 12)A friend of mine was watching a kid play his heart out on the basketball court even though his team was up 20 points. After the game, my friend asked the boy why he was hustling so hard when victory was guaranteed. The kid’s response was perfect: “Because I love my coach.”That’s a pretty good picture of what David is getting at in Psalm 116.In verse 7, David instructs his soul to rest. Why? Because “the Lord has been good” to him. As we express gratitude for the things God has already done in and through our work, we can rest and be content even if the Lord doesn’t provide anything else in the future.In short, thankfulness is a path to rest. But it’s not just a path to rest. In verse 12, David says that rest is a path to ambition—to leave it all out on the court, if you will. “What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?” David asks. In other words, in view of the Lord’s graciousness, what can I do to serve him? David understood that ambition to do the Lord’s work was a proper response to the good things the Lord had given him. How much more true is that for us who know the ultimate good that was done for us on the cross?The goodness God has shown us in Jesus Christ should lead us to thankfulness and rest. But it should also lead us to great ambition—not to earn our salvation, but as a worshipful response to it (see Ephesians 2:8-10).Take a moment right now to meditate on how “the Lord has been good to you” this past week. Thank him for the projects you’ve completed at work, the impact your work is having in the lives of customers and your team, or just the fact that you have work and income. Once you’ve given thanks, take a moment to rest in the goodness of God. And then allow that rest to lead you to work “heartily as unto the Lord” as a response of worship today (see Colossians 3:23)!

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Wisdom for Work from the PsalmsDevotional: 5 of 7[God] makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth...All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. (Psalm 104:14, 27)After praying and thanking God for our dinner, my daughter Kate (3 at the time) said, “Daddy, God didn’t give us this food. Mommy bought it at the grocery store!”“You’re right, Kate,” I said. “Mommy did buy this food at the grocery store. But who created the apple on your plate?” “God,” Kate answered.“That’s right,” I said. “And he also made the farmer that picked that apple, and the engineers who built a truck to take the apples to the grocery store which was built by entrepreneurs, carpenters, and bankers. God used the work of all of those people and more to give us this dinner!”By this point, I had long lost Kate’s attention. But one day, I pray she will read Psalm 104 and appreciate what I was trying to teach her.The Psalmist says that God "makes grass grow," but leaves it "for people to cultivate" the land. And this is just how God intended from the beginning—even prior to sin entering the world! In Genesis 2, we’re told that, after God began creating, “no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up.” Why? Because “the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground” (see Genesis 2:5).You see it, right? God could have made shrubs, grass, and food grow all on his own. But he chose to delegate that work to his image-bearers—a theme we see all throughout God’s Word.Sure there are times in Scripture in which God miraculously provided for his people (see Exodus 16 and Matthew 14:13-21). But most of the time, we see God working through the miracle of human work. “God could easily give you grain and fruit without your plowing and planting,” said Martin Luther, “but he does not want to do so.” Because you and I are the primary instrument through which God works in this world.Knowing that—that your work is nothing less than the means through which God feeds, heals, and sustains the world—lean into your work with joy, excellence, and love today!

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Wisdom for Work from the PsalmsDevotional: 4 of 7May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17)This is the final verse of Psalm 90, the only Psalm that credits Moses as its author. It’s not surprising that Moses concludes his Psalm with these words, as he prayed a similar prayer six times in the book of Deuteronomy alone (see Deuteronomy 2:7; 14:29; 16:15; 24:19; 28:12; 30:9).Why was this such a frequent prayer of Moses?First, I think Moses understood that this prayer is a practical way of reminding ourselves that God alone produces results through our work. In Deuteronomy 8:18, Moses said that “​​it is [God] who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” How do we remind ourselves of that truth? By joining Moses in praying the words of today’s passage.Second, I think Moses continually offered up this prayer because it is deep within the heart of any human being for our work to outlive us. That’s what Moses is praying for in Psalm 90:17. The Hebrew word for "establish" in “establish the work of our hands” literally means to "make permanent."And isn’t that what we all long for? Arthur Miller says it is. In his play, Death of a Salesman, Miller said that our desire “to leave a thumbprint somewhere on the world” is a “need greater than hunger or sex or thirst…A need for immortality, and by admitting it, the knowing that one has carefully inscribed one’s name on a cake of ice on a hot July day.”That’s spot on. The question, of course, is which work will be “made permanent”? In short, any work done “in the Lord'' (see 1 Corinthians 15:58). Any work done for his glory rather than our own. Because unless the things on our to-do lists are on God’s to-do list, they will eventually amount to nothing.So what’s on God’s to-do list? The advancement of “the gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 24:14), working “heartily as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23), doing excellent work as a means of “loving your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39), “making disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), and working to make “all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Pray that the Lord would establish that work of your hands today!

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Wisdom for Work from the PsalmsDevotional: 3 of 7Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)I’ve noticed a strikingly consistent theme in the biographies of history’s most impactful Christians: They thought about death—a lot. At the age of 29, Martin Luther told a mentor “he didn’t think he would live very long.” William Wilberforce “seriously believed he was likely to die violently” before he completed his life’s work of abolishing the slave trade. And Alexander Hamilton “imagine[d] death so much it [felt] more like a memory.”These men lived and worked hundreds of years ago when death was far more common and thinking about it was in some ways inevitable. That stands in stark contrast to our culture today. In an essay titled The Pornography of Death, anthropologist Geoffrey Gorer argued that death has replaced sex as the most taboo topic of our modern age.But in Psalm 90, Moses says that meditating on death is one of the wisest things we can do. Why? Because dwelling on death leads us to “walk [carefully], not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (see Ephesians 5:15-16).So here’s my encouragement to you: Find a way to remind yourself of the brevity of life today. Here are just four ideas.#1: Choose a passage of Scripture to memorize that will remind you of the sobering reality of death. Some of my favorites are Psalm 39:5, Psalm 90:12, Psalm 144:4, Job 7:7, Ecclesiastes 7:2, James 4:14, and Ecclesiastes 12:7.#2: Take a walk in a cemetery on your drive to or from work today.#3: Read a great book on death from a Christian perspective. Two that I return to often are On Death by Tim Keller and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.#4: Put physical reminders of death around you. Ancient merchants would often write the Latin memento mori (meaning “think of death”) in large letters on the first page of their accounting books. I have “running out of time” written inside my running shoes. Whatever works for you, works.These practices will look foolish to the world, but Scripture says they are wise for the believer. Do something to dwell on death today so that you may gain a heart of wisdom and redeem your time for the glory of God and the good of others!