Devotions/Partners
Genesis 3:17b-19a (KJV): “Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground…”
COMMENTARY: If you read verses 1-24 in this chapter, you’ll discover why we live in such a dysfunctional, messed-up world. Adam and Eve were originally “born” into a perfect environment. However, they deliberately chose to disobey their perfect and righteous Creator, and they had to pay the penalty for their sin. The whole world then came under the curse of sin, and remains under the curse to this day.
APPLICATION: Do you ever have frustrating moments at work due to delays, glitches, curveballs, unexpected problems and crises? Join the club! We all do!
Business owners must be diligent about all areas of the business: Planning. Research and development. Sales and marketing. Production. Distribution. Human resources. Finance and administration. Facilities.
Of course, they cannot handle all of these alone. They rely on staff, suppliers, government agencies and customers to do what they’re supposed to do.
Strive as we may for perfection, “stuff happens.” If you are going through a particularly frustrating time at work today, remember that “this too shall pass.” There is an ebb and flow to problems. God never allows more to happen in our lives than what He equips us to handle, through His Word and His Spirit. We can learn to handle frustrating moments with more grace, humility, self-control, maturity and wisdom if we let Him teach us and flow through us more freely.
Joyfully yours,
For Further Exploration
For further exploration about Isaiah 44:24-25 (KJV)，read Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.
