Purpose in the day to day

"Serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good they do..." 

Ephesian 6:7

"And whatever you do. whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." 

Colossians 3:17

"Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." 

Colossians 3:23

As I spent my kids' nap time detailing the cabinets in our kitchen, getting all of the grime and yuck off and scrubbing toilets, mopping floors, wiping counters, putting away laundry, etc these verses came to my mind. 

Isn't it a struggle sometimes to truly serve wholeheartedly where God's placed us? Whether that happens to be our own home, or an office, or a warehouse, or a restaurant, or a gym, or a classroom, or a cubicle, or a bus, or an airport, or a garbage truck, or a grocery store. All of our jobs have menial tasks that seem mundane, useless, and unseen. And we can find ourselves asking "why am i doing this?" Maybe we feel unappreciated or maybe things just suck.  Either way, there IS purpose in the day-to-day...whatever it is you are doing. 

That purpose is Jesus. When we get the verses above in our hearts and our mindset shifts to the truth that are serving JESUS, not a person, everything changes. 

You are not working for your boss you are working unto Jesus. I am not doing what I do around our home for my kids or my husband, I am doing it unto Jesus. 

Something magical happens when we truly get this...your boss, your kids, your spouse, your employer might piss you off, but it's okay you can still work and do your thing JOYFULLY because your working unto Jesus, not them. They might disappoint you, but it's okay you can still work and do your thing without BITTERNESS because your working unto Jesus, not them. They might frustrate you, but it's okay you can still work and do your thing CHEERFULLY because your working unto Jesus, not them. They might even hurt you, but it's okay you can still work and do your thing WHOLEHEARTEDLY because your working unto Jesus, not them. They might even betray you, but it's okay you can still work and do your thing WITHOUT RESERVE because your working unto Jesus, not them.

Because we're serving Jesus, not men, suddenly, scrubbing toilets, making copies, cooking dinners, mopping floors, sending emails, making phone calls, waiting on people, driving people, picking up toys, putting kids to bed, making a spouse's lunch becomes a joy because it is not just a menial task, it is Kingdom work. 

And Suddenly everything becomes worth giving our all in. 

Beautiful. 

Remembering these things in my days rids my heart of bitterness and the need for accolades for what I do.  Because my work is unto the Lord and my "reward" is in HIM.