The Integration, not Balance, of Whistling and Working

Hello whistling workers!

In my sermon, I mentioned three areas that often “get in the way” of our spiritual growth. These areas take up time that we would otherwise use for worship, fellowship, devotion and mission. I often hear people say, “I won’t be able to come/volunteer/meet/gather, because of,” and it’s either work or kids or entertainment that concludes the sentence. (Most people don’t mention if it’s entertainment because they know that’s a bit silly, but it is still one of the big three – shows and sports!)

What I didn’t have time to do in my sermon was go over some principles of analysis and action if you have something depleting your time for spiritual growth. I want you to know, you can change! You can either change what you do or you can change how you do it.

First of all, how do you determine if something is getting in the way of spiritual growth? Let’s just take work as an example, and these principles are somewhat transferable to other areas that take a lot of time and focus in our lives.

First, ask yourself questions to determine if your job is getting in the way of spiritual growth. In my sermon, I mentioned 4 key activities that we should absolutely take time to cultivate in order to make the whole of our time most meaningful. These 4 are Sunday worship, fellowship with believers, personal spiritual disciplines, and time to cultivate character in everyday ways of serving God. A key question is: Does my work schedule cut into my time to pursue any of these things? Are you missing Sunday worship? Are you missing time you could spend cultivating the godly friendships you need? Are you missing out on personal Bible and prayer time? Are you unable to focus on the opportunities for character growth? Are you unable to give yourself to marriage and family the way you should?

Another key question: Am I not able to make the most of the time because I’m stressed or consumed with the unfinished needs of work? Are you able to relax? Is the fruit of the Spirit being choked out because of the mood your work keeps you in?

If work is not getting in the way, wonderful! You’re blessed! If it is, something needs to change. Being a human being means being a worker for God’s kingdom, and our work needs to be a key pathway, not a roadblock, for God’s mission to and through us. If it’s a roadblock, something needs to change, either what we’re doing or how we’re doing it.

Maybe what we’re doing needs to change. Key question for that: What am I working to achieve? Is it a certain lifestyle, or is it really bare-bones just to live, or is it to get the promotion to have more of an influence at the top for Christ, or is it to make enough money to be able to give 90% of it away to missions? There’s a big difference depending on what your answer is. So whatever it is that you’re working for, think, is that my call in life? What am I giving up in order to get that? Am I giving up peace, am I giving up time for worship and fellowship and family and service? Maybe you’re to look for a job with less pay so that you can have the wages of eternal life. Maybe you should find something less stressful. Maybe you need to find ways to be more efficient with your time so that you can get home sooner. Maybe you can move into a smaller house so that you or your spouse can be at home with the kids. Are you willing to make a choice like that if it seems that that will help you get the more essential areas of life right? If you are working hard just to get by and live, I know that’s difficult. If it’s getting in the way of your spiritual growth, however, consider what choices you do have? Can you get a job that pays you more for less time? That may be more possible than you think. Even if it’s not, where’s your faith? Nothing is impossible with God! Ask and you shall receive! Mountains can move! Even if not right this moment, but what can you do right now so that, 2-3 years down the line, you can have more time for worship and small group and family and that good stuff?

Or maybe you can change how you’re doing it. Are you able to see your current job as a pathway instead of a roadblock? Are you able to discern that God may have placed you exactly where you are in order to use you as a light to the people you are getting to know because you are where you are? Maybe you’re making more money than you need, and it’s a bit stressful, but that God has a call on you to make as much as you can, live on as little as you can, and give away as much as you can to finance kingdom ventures. Maybe he wants to promote you to be an influence in your company, like Daniel and Joseph were promoted for a larger purpose. Maybe you need to be there, working hard (but efficiently), and can make sure you put whatever influence you can to make sure you have time for worship and other essentials. Maybe you become creative for how you pursue avenues for spiritual growth. Start a prayer group at the office!

Whatever you can do to integrate your worshipful whistling and your worshipful work into one body and mind, do it! There are others in the church who do it successfully. Whistle while you network. Wrestle with this, but win! This is what you were made to do!

Pastor Bo