Taking Proverbs to Work - #wisdomatwork

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

God has an answer for every situation we face at work. It does not matter the question, choice, stress, or dilemma. Our Lord has answers and direction for us. 

God’s Word says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We, therefore, have our starting point for attaining wisdom. We can define the fear of the Lord as our awareness of His love for us and His constant watch over what we are thinking, doing, and saying at work. Billy Graham has stated, “to fear God is not to shrink back from him in terror. To fear God is to have a deep reverence for Him and to stand in awe at His holiness, majesty, power, and love. Only then will we love, serve, and worship Him as we should”.

Sometimes, things happen at work that we might think are a failure, but time allows us to look back and see God’s handiwork and wisdom. Years ago, I applied for a specialty designation. I worked hard and felt that this designation was appropriate for me. I did not receive it. I was disappointed. However, shortly afterward, I realized that if I had been given this designation, it would have taken time away from the priorities of my business. 

God has provided a workplace for us to worship and serve Him, bless others and use the gifts He has provided. It is a privilege to do this but also a responsibility. The only way we can be successful is by applying His Word at work. We will concentrate on Proverbs this year and “take Proverbs to work.” Each week during 2023, we will focus on wisdom from Proverbs. By the end of the year, we will have 52 Proverbs to apply that helps us make decisions, honor God and bless others. I hope you will go on this journey with us! 

Taking This to God in Prayer: 

Dear Heavenly Father, my desire is to be wise and do Your will. Help me be constantly aware of Your love for me. May I always remember You are watching me and watching over me. Please give me the wisdom and strength to make correct decisions to honor You and bless others. This year, in my Bible Study and prayer, help me to understand what “the fear of the Lord means” as I wisely walk step by step with you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

This week at work, take time to reflect on Proverbs 9:10. Consider the following: 

• There are 31 Chapters in Proverbs, enough for every day of the month. Can you commit to reading one chapter a day so you complete this book every month? 

• Each day you read a chapter, summarize what God has revealed to you in one sentence, and write it in your planner. 

• Each month, look back to see connections between what God has revealed to you in Proverbs and the circumstances you have used His wisdom. 

• Write your personal definition of what it means to fear the Lord.  A sample could be: 

 “Lord, You have said in Your Word the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Without this fear, I cannot begin to have wisdom. This fear, to me, is an understanding of how much You love me and the awareness You can see everything I say and do. Out of love and reverence for You, I want to live the life You have designed for me. This means being aware that what You say is wise and what You say is foolish and wanting to please You in all I say and do in my everyday thoughts, actions, reactions, and interactions.” 

• Be aware that Satan will not want you to commit to fear the Lord and begin your path of gaining wisdom. Ask God for ongoing ability and strength to remember He loves you and desires you to live wisely and, therefore, abundantly. He wants you to have victory in your life, which comes from wise choices, not foolish ones Satan would prefer you to make. 

The start of the New Year is an exciting time. A time to look back and a time to look forward. Our prayer is this will be a year of wise living, starting with fearing the Lord and applying His Word genuinely and practically.

May God bless you as you stand in reverence and awe before Him with the desire to please Him. 

Bonny, Christian Women at Work

Happy New Year!

"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." (2 Chronicles 15:7)

Do you enjoy buying a new planner for the new year? Filling in the empty pages with events, work hours, appointments, and celebrations is refreshing! The blank pages remind us of new opportunities, including scheduling time to be more organized, efficient, and healthy.

If your calendar is like mine, there are also spots to record your goals. There are so many choices for setting goals. Professional goals can include looking for a new job or changing something about your present job. Personal goals might include regular exercise, eating healthy meals, and getting more sleep. Spiritual goals will include something you feel God has been leading you to do which you have not yet accomplished, or an area of your faith which you want to deepen (ie. prayer, bible study, etc.)

Is there something on your heart to accomplish in 2023? If so, take time during this first week of the New Year to reflect on this. Ask yourself questions such as:

• What is pressing on your heart which you feel you should do? It does not matter if it's been on your heart for years or days: it is on your heart. Perhaps God has been preparing you to get it accomplished in 2023.

"May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed." (Psalm 20:4)

• Have you been feeling “nudges” from God to do something new? Are you unsure if that is direction from God or just something you are interested in. Maybe God is telling you or “nudging you” that now is the time to start. 

"Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

• Does what is on your heart or mind align with God’s Word? Is this something which will honor God and bless others & you? 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

What is the one thing you believe you should be doing this New Year? After prayerfully considering these three questions, and perhaps talking to family and friends you love and respect, write this in the goal section of your new 2023 Planner. Filling in this blank spot with what you believe God is leading you to do will start you off on the right spiritual foot for the New Year! 

May God richly bless you this year as you set God-honoring, loving, and wise goals. 

Happy New Year! 

Bonny, Christian Women at Work

Bringing Refreshment to Work

"A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:25)

At this festive time of year, my clinic has generous patients who bring us wonderful treats. It is a refreshment for our bodies and souls as we consider the care behind the gesture.

One of my favorite definitions of “refresh” is from dictionary.net, which states to refresh is “to relieve or revive after fatigue or depression, to give new strength to; to invigorate; to cool; to improve by new touches.”

It is impactful to know we can refresh others often, not just occasionally. Just as a gift of a special food can be refreshing, so can a smile, a word of encouragement, a coffee on someone’s desk, or a listening ear. You may never know what a co-worker or boss is going through or if someone desperately needs to be refreshed. We may never know the impact we have when we love a co-worker as Christ loves us. We should be consistent in our words and actions to encourage, support, and acknowledge others at work. 

• We may never know how much our boss needs to be relieved or revived after a busy or challenging time.  Refreshment can be found in a kind word or a note that says, “Great job.” 

• We may never know how depleted a colleague may feel after dealing with a loss and needs strength to get through their day. Refreshment can be found by inviting them for lunch and taking time to be with them. 

• We may never know how a day to day stress is draining a co-worker. Refreshment can be found in a “new touch,” helping them problem-solve a new way or solution to the pressure. 

We can, however, have a heart and outlook that focuses on refreshing others with our words and actions.  

We can (and should) refresh others even when we need refreshment. I love the following quote by Elisabeth Elliot:

“Do you often feel like parched ground, unable to produce anything worthwhile? I do. When I am in need of refreshment, it isn’t easy to think of the needs of others. But I have found that if, instead of praying for my own comfort and satisfaction, I ask the Lord to enable me to give to others, an amazing thing often happens – I find my own needs wonderfully met in ways I would never have thought of, both for others, and then, incidentally, for myself.”  

Would you say you are someone who “refreshes” others with words or actions? This week, and this Christmas season, look for opportunities to be a source of refreshment to people at work. The Christmas season is joyous but can also be stressful. Do you sense someone at work is very anxious?  A kind word or gesture can be the very refreshment they need. Some people may really need this support but may never ask for it. What can you do to make their day a little easier? 

"Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up." (Proverbs 12:25)

Bringing This to God in Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the refreshment You provide us when we spend time with You. Please help us to always respond to opportunities to be refreshment for people we work with. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

May God richly bless you this week and refresh you as you refresh others during this Christmas season. Merry Christmas!

Bonny, Christian Women at Work

PS. We will be taking the week between Christmas & New Year's off to spend time with loved ones and to refresh from some time off. See you again in 2023!