In John 17:21, Jesus said, "I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me."

Before his crucifixion, this is what Jesus prayed for; this is what he deemed absolutely essential to the spread of the gospel, and what he asked for according to the will of the God the Father: unity within all believers.

Do you think that the body of Christ currently exudes such incredible oneness that there is no doubt the Almighty dwells among us? Friends, I think we have some work to do.

Work-life balance is one of the most talked-about subjects among professionals in the workforce today. A quick google search of the term will pull up thousands of articles on tips to achieve this blissful, elusive state of being from the likes of Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Time, Mayo Clinic, and many, many more. However, I can't help but think the conversation about work-life balance is a bit funny.

We have had so many guests on iWork4Him that come to discuss work-life balance and espouse its significance to our health and well-being. But ironically, there is only one thing that all of them have agreed on: A perfect work-life balance is, frankly, unachievable.

But if that is true, how do we prevent our job from taking over and driving a wedge into our relationships?

When we first relocated to Florida almost 20 years ago, Martha took a job in insurance since that was our area of expertise. She was gifted in it and learned a lot but it was evident that it was not her calling, it was a j-o-b. She eventually ended up running the bookstore where we attended church. This job used many of the skills that she had accumulated over the years and allowed her to nurture her staff and customers, this was a calling.

Do you have a job or a calling? A job is something you do, often for compensation. A calling defines who you are and what you are created to do.

So, what is your calling? Have you ever taken the time to consider the answer to that question? Does your calling change as you get older?

There are many ways to figure out what the calling is on your life:

In elementary school I remember a line on our report card for “Works well with others”. Do you remember that? Hopefully most of us got an S or S+ on that line. What kind of grade would you get today if you were being graded on “Works well with others”? I believe most of us would disappoint our teacher with our score. That’s what collaboration is really – right? Working well with others?

In your job what does it really look like to collaborate, and does it really matter? Does it matter for the Kingdom? Is Collaboration related to cooperation? Did Jesus call for us to collaborate, cooperate, or just fulfill the great commission? Am I ever going to stop asking questions and bring some answers?

If you are a listener to the iWork4Him Podcast, then you will understand when I say, “You are a workplace missionary.” Your ministry exists within your workplace – whatever that workplace looks like. As a workplace missionary, you represent the Creator God, Almighty King of the Universe, The Savior of the World, and the very Counselor of God. You are perfectly equipped to represent God in your workplace through fantastic work effort, a great work attitude, and a prayerful heart to bring Jesus with you to work every day.

Your work matters to God. In 2021, you have been placed on the mission field of your workplace. You are there because the people you work with need to meet Jesus and your life with Jesus will be an incredible influence in their lives.

It’s the week before Christmas, and all through the house (aka workplace, school zone, and living space), everyone is going stir crazy because they are stuck in that HOUSE together. Yep, I’m sure we can all relate to the shared space dilemma.

Have you been planning for gift giving this year, or has it snuck up on you? Do you prepare gifts for the people who help make you successful? Allow me to make 3 last-minute suggestions to give your employees this Christmas. Everyone loves to get personalized gifts, but the gifts I suggest will last all year long.

Who makes the most impact in the workplace? Is it the management? The Business Owner? Or someone else? Have you ever considered that YOU may have the most impact to create a flourishing environment at your work? It just takes a little appreciation know-how.

Chuck Swindoll says “Gratitude is a decision of the will, and if a decision of the will, the choice resides squarely with us. Deciding to be thankful is no easy task. It takes work.”

There is no shortage of things to complain about in 2020. It would be easy to create a list of ways to complain at work, but who needs help doing that? What if we could develop habits during Thanksgiving that we could practice year-round? Now that would be an accomplishment! So, as we go about our work – no matter if we work alone, lead a group of 4 or 5, or a team of 100, here are a few steps we can take to increase gratefulness around us every day.

It always amazes me how two people can experience the same situation and see things so differently. Take, for instance, the recent weather we had in Florida. I was grateful for the rain to fill our pond, but I know others were upset because the storm interfered with their outdoor plans. That same storm can improve business for the screen repair company and grocery stores while hurting business for the landscaper or outdoor sporting event.

We have a choice to make about our perspective for 2020. We can wish it away so we can start 2021, OR we can use the opportunity for change to take us from who we are to who God can use more effectively.