“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:38
REFRESHED
In California, where we reside, a natural phenomena occurs once every 10 years or so. We call it a superbloom. When it happens, an atmospheric river of rainfall transforms an otherwise expansive desert topography into swaths of color. Wildflowers which have remained dormant for years all of a sudden respond to the abundant waters and bloom simultaneously. In fact, the color from these blooms covers so much surface area that the blooms can be seen from space via satellite images.
Superblooms are visual invitations for those of us called to the marketplace. Many of us work in some very dry workplaces spiritually. Not only that, but the demands of the workplace itself - on our time, our minds, and our energy - can drain the very life out of us at times. According to Jesus, we don’t have to be parched in desert workplaces. Instead for those of us who believe, we are promised that living waters will flow from within us and through us, individually and collectively. Jesus is referring to the Holy Spirit who will daily refresh and work through us.
This promise of the Holy Spirit, His daily presence and involvement in the lives of us, His sons and daughters, will transform everywhere we go and everything we do. Unfortunately, too often when it comes to our work, we don’t quite know how to apply this promise to this area of our lives. We are so used to a secular and sacred divide that we often approach our work out of our own strength, mind, and efforts. We also haven’t had the mentoring or workplace discipleship to show us how to work in concert with the Holy Spirit in the day to day.
Os Gusiness in his book, The Call, says “The New Testament knows no monasteries or monks, only…. disciples in a demanding, everyday world.”
If you have been feeling that work is draining and your corporate world mirrors a desert-like existence, may I invite you into this journey of bringing the fullness of Christ with you? This refreshing of the Holy Spirit in you day to day is one of the greatest assets you bring to the workplace. Start simply by inviting the Holy Spirit into the areas you tend to leave Him out of. This includes inviting the fullness of Christ into all aspects of your work. Pray over and invite the Holy Spirit into your tasks, your team projects, the products you build, the services you provide, and your interactions with your coworkers, customers, and your supervisors.
Pray also for the Lord to create divine appointments with other believers in the workplace who also carry this living water. Pray that He would surround you with a community of believers to be living water for each other and to bless your company collectively. As you do this, you may indeed see a superbloom transform what was once a dry workplace!
There is an indeed superbloom happening in the marketplace. Communities of like minded Christians, in the largest companies across industries and around the world, are collectively bringing their full faith selves to work each day. These communities are workplace fellowships, corporate Christian fellowships, and ERGs. They exist to fulfill their ministry callings together and to be the priesthood of believers in the workplaces God has called them to be. You are not alone and God deeply wants to bring about a superbloom in your everyday work and amidst your workplace.
Reflection:
Take a moment to come before the Lord about your work and workplace. Be still and know He cares more about your work and workplace than you do. Ask Him what He wants to reveal to you.
By Esther Tinklenberg
We know that we are all inundated with info and content. Our intention in these words that you took precious time to read is simply to encourage you. We invite you to pause a moment from your daily grind and consider God’s great resource of Himself to you and your work. Our hope is that if these thoughts resonate with you, we will have the privilege to have further conversation and to build relationship with you. We gladly invite you into this global alliance of fellowships among marketplace believers that our Lord is building in every corner of the world.
Faith & Work Movement Global. All rights reserved.