Friday 23 January 2015

The Work Experience

First and foremost I extend my apologies for such a  late post but I was sitting examinations and then laziness kicked in afterwards. I believe everything went well but now more to the point!!

I currently work in a retail shop that I can't mention for various reasons. While acknowledging the title, I've come to realize I'm not only in work for the sake of it but to actually learn from it. For me, work experience is about taking in what you learn and how to interpret what you've learned and how to benefit others and so on. I've come to notice that God always wants me to learn something.  As a matter of fact I'm starting to realize that I'm never in any situation out of coincidence. There is always a reason. Have you ever been somewhere and just wondered..... how did I even get here, or what am I doing here?

So this one time I was at work and one of my managers started giving me endless tasks to do all at the same time. Not that I was complaining, it's my job. So I realized that all he cared about was making sure that the work was done well and little care was emphasized as to how to carry it out. I already started making a few observations. I also started noticing that there is now no strong relationship required in the work place.....Just strictly business and a few conversations here and there. On the shop floor there is great communication and interaction but when we're at the back in the canteen, the casual 'hi and bye' (stay with me).

Here's what I learned. We are not far off from our employer!! See outside work we play the role of any employer and God plays the role of the employee. I say "we" because I've noticed my fault and hope more people can relate to what I'm saying. How many times do we pray for blessings but careless about how they manifest? How many can genuinely say they have checked up on God and find out how He is doing? One thing I've noticed is that we always assume that God is God and has no struggles and therefore make a conclusion that He is "ok"... but have we asked anyway? I once read Abraham Maslow's theory of  "Hierarchy of needs" where it explains how individuals will go at all lengths  to satisfy their physical needs with less care put into how they do it. You'll find that we tend to cry out to God mostly when we need something, which is fine. However, we need to use wisdom in making sure that we're not using or misusing Him. What's more is we do all this without trying to have a relationship with him...Just strictly business and a few conversations here and there.

So what do we learn from this experience:

1. Switch Roles-  Make Him your employer!! God inarguably holds the "Employer of the eternity award " and the proof is evident in His word. In the bible you'll find that God sent out a number of prophets and messengers to do work for Him but one thing was common in all of them; He never left them to do it on their own!! When He sent Abraham to leave his country and go to a foreign land He said " I will make your name great and you will be a blessing" (Gen 12:2). when He sent Moses to Pharaoh He said "I will be with you" (Exod 3:12). Like wise when He sent Joshua He said "as I was with Moses. I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you"  (Josh 1:5). God!!. With God it is never strictly business. He sends you to do something that He could easily do and what's more is He helps you because He wants to be involved and He wants you to be involved in His vision.

2. Get to know Him-  God Has no problem helping us out so please don' t hesitate to cry out to Him or ask for blessings. But seek to have a relationship with Him first. It just makes sense to know Who's helping you. I remember last month during the Christmas period our youth group decided that we should take part in "Christ-kindle" where we all had to pick out a name that we had to buy a present for without them knowing who their "secret Santa" was. When I got my present I very much wanted to know that person because I wanted to personally thank them for such a thoughtful gift (I know who it is by the way.. thank you :P). The point is we should always try to know our maker because how else are we going to thank Him for the things He does for us if we barely even acknowledge Him.

So to wrap it up, I encourage you to look around whatever environment you're exposed to and see what you can learn for things around you or from any kind of experience. You'll find that God is involved in almost everything you do without us consciously knowing it.



“I worked harder than any, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” - 1 Corinthians 15:10

And that's not #Omni :P
God bless you for reading.


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