“C” is for Commit your Work
Cc — “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3)
Another translation of this verse reads: “Commit your work to the LORD, and you will succeed.” In committing our work to the Lord, we are inquiring, involving, and depending on him to establish the plan that will succeed. This promise recognizes God as the highest power and carries with it the inherit understanding that he is by nature, interested in all things concerning our work for our ultimate good, regardless of the nature of the work. It’s sometimes hard for us to get our heads around the fact that God wants to be included in our lives, involved in such a way as to make us successful. However there is plenty of evidence to support this.
When David was made King of Israel, the Philistines were raiding the land. David inquired of the LORD, and God gave him specific instructions to circle around to the back of the lines and wait for a particular signal from God before attacking. David did as the Lord directed and succeeded in defeating the Philistines. (1 Chronicles 14:8-16)
When he wanted to build a Temple for God, the Lord gave him detailed plans but with one twist— it would be his son, Solomon, who would actually oversee the project, and it was done with great success.
When Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, he fasted, prayed, planned and prayed some more. God gave him favor with the king of Persia, the leaders of Jerusalem, and all the people in Jerusalem to work in a concerted effort to rebuild the wall in a record breaking fifty-two days in spite of huge opposition! (Nehemiah 1-6:15)
When King Hezekiah wholeheartedly sought the LORD in all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands… he was very successful. (2 Chronicles 31:21)
So we can easily conclude we can commit our battles, building programs, and basically anything to do with God’s laws and commands to the Lord and be assured of success. However, some might question the validity of actually committing our “work” to God, suggesting work falls into that secular camp— with the exception of those in “full time” ministry who are clearly doing “God’s work”.
Somewhere along the line, we may have tried to compartmentalize our lives in such a way as to think some things fall into God’s court, and others fall into our court. Biblically speaking, there is no distinction between secular and sacred.
The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. (Psalm 24:1)
He is Lord of all. (Acts 10:36)
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17)
The lack of distinction between sacred and secular is further emphasized by the very fact the Hebrew word for “work” and “worship” is exactly the same! Work done in harmony with God, honors him and brings glory to him whether we’re scrubbing toilets or negotiating million dollar deals or leading worship.
In his book, God’s Pleasure at Work, Christian Overman relates the story of a man he calls, God’s Co-Worker. Born in 1865, the son of slaves, Dr. George Washington Carver, was the first black student to graduate from Iowa State College. At that time cotton crops had completely depleted the soil. A different crop like peanuts would replenish the soil, but there was no market for peanuts. So Carver set about the task of developing sufficient uses for the peanut to provide a market that would allow financial motivation to plant peanuts in order to give the land a rest from cotton.
Taking a handful of peanuts, he asked, “Great Creator, why did you make the peanut?” Each day when entering his lab, which he called God’s Little Workshop, he would lock the door behind him and draw close to God to discover God’s secrets as Carver proceeded to take the peanut apart and put it back together again.
Partnering with God, George Washington Carver developed 300 uses for the peanut and 118 uses for the sweet potato, giving God all the credit. In 1921 when the U.S. House Ways and Means committee asked Dr. Carver how he learned all these things, he replied, “I asked [God] what to do with the peanut and he did.” In summarizing the secret of his success, he said it was found in the Bible: “In all your ways acknowledge the LORD, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:6)
Frank Laubach developed a similar attitude about his work and also experienced great success. According to his journal, published in 1930 under the title Practicing His Presence, dissatisfaction with his life led him to experiment with a reorienting, revolutionary kind of prayer life. He purposed to line up his actions with the will of God, consciously listening to the inner voice throughout the day. The sense of cooperation with God was both astonishing and exhilarating to Laubach, who made a habit of asking, “What, Father, do you desire in this moment?”
In Soul Revolution, John Burke reflected on the amazing success record experienced during Laubach’s last forty years. Voted “Man of the Year” and considered by many as America’s single greatest educator, Laubach developed the program in which sixty million people were taught to read around the world, authored over fifty books, influenced reforms on injustice, poverty, and illiteracy throughout the world, while gaining a strong international presence in literacy, religious, and governmental circles. And yet, Laubach’s book relates the height of success was not all these accomplishments, but the reality of the nearness of God as he enjoyed his work in communion with the him.
This kind of inner dependence clearly marked Jesus’ earthly ministry. In fact, Jesus plainly stated it was never his words, work, or will, but that of the Father in him doing the work through him. Jesus abiding in the Father is our model for abiding in Jesus in order to have a fruitful life. This is why, committing our work to the Lord, will bring success that is truly fulfilling.
When I think about work in light of all this, I get very excited about the possibilities of partnering with God. How about you?
Your work on the “Alphabet of Promises” book and this blog exemplify the beauty and power of working in partership with God. Thank you for the beautiful and inspiring words that bring closer to my heart the truth that ALL of life is God’s. Since reading your posting this morning, I find myself pausing a moment as I go about my work and asking, “What Father, do you desire in this moment?”
Such good insights into important truths, Sally! You are a wise woman of God who is making a difference in this world by partnering with God in work and worship! I’m cheering you on!
Thank you Sally beautifully written and a very relevant reminder. Absolutely, in order to truly succeed we must surrender ourselves to God’s will and purpose for our life. True success in life is really about relationships, nothing more and nothing less. Every thought we think, every word we speak and every action that we take has an impact and influence on others. It’s a leap of faith, if we can place God first and fully trust in him then everything else will just fall into place, even if for the moment we can’t clearly understand the direction he is taking us. We must perpetually align ourselves with God’s will to become representatives of his unconditional and unyielding love. I clearly see God’s love for all of us in you.
Hello Sally, Thank you for the inspiration, this is a great focus on our “daily grind” here on earth! Learning to allow Christ to “dwell in us” while we are here in our earth suits, doing our earthly tasks each day, is such a vital part of being conformed to his image!
Thanks!