I’ve been meaning to sit down and write this entry for a while now only to have the busyness of life leave me no time to do so. So here it is:

I am now a graduate from Loyola University. Praise Jesus! What am I doing now? I work as a Web and Graphic Designer at Anees Capital Group in the West Loop. Strange eh? I am still awe-struck with thankfulness for the Lord’s provision in my life. My parents and I are estatic that I have a full-time job in a recessive economy. A pretty good job too.

Didn’t you graduate with a degree in Biology? Yeah, I did…. which just adds to the measure of the grace of God!

I went from a full-time college student to a full-time employee in a week (I started working a week after I graduated). My life has changed quite a bit. Working is so different than the full-time student regiment I am used to. But for each season of my life, I am reminded of this- I need to bloom where I am planted and be a light, salt, and a witness wherever I may be.

Having full-time income is great, but I am wanting to be continually burdened and motivated by heavenly gains. I don’t want the end of my life to just say “He was a great web and graphic designer.” or “He had a fruitful time ministering in college but after that he just made money and lived the American dream.” What foolishness! I’m not taking any of that to the kingdom of God! I am commanded by God to do something that actually means something for eternity…

I want to grow in my love for Jesus in this season, I want to be made more like Him working full-time, I want to invest in people and see them come to know Jesus, I want to deepen in my love and knowledge of His Word, I want to share the gospel with my co-workers and others, I want to give generously to the Lord’s purposes on top of my tithings, and I want to bear fruit in every good work I have before me and so prove to be a faithful servant of Jesus.

Yeah, I want to do these things.

Yet unfortunately… I also know that the full-time responsbilities of life are also used by the Devil to suffocate and to neutralize Christians from their calling of bearing fruit. Christians get burnt out just by working. They are heavy laden with worry and responsibility. The demands of life choke our ability to be wells of Living Waters. Many are serving in the church, but are easily tempted to be like Martha rather than Mary, serving Jesus but not growing in love for Him.

This is a terrible tragedy! Oh, that the Lord will invoke a pastoral burden in my heart for those who labor in the 9 to 5 window! I have seen the difficulties of being a follower of Jesus in a university setting but the challenges of being a follower of Jesus in the workplace have their own set of difficulties. They are domains of the devil which operate under different rules and Christians unaware of these rules will find themselves useless and burnt out in the kingdom of God!

Immediately to mind,  I cling to two resolutions in fighting for my own love and passion for Jesus:

  1. Dedicated to the place of Scripture reading and prayer
    John 15 can never be old to me, ever. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches, apart from me you can nothing.” I need to be feeding on the Word of God everyday so that my spirit will not grow dull with the cares of the world. I need to be dedicated to the prayer, and to the closet of praying. Leonard Ravenhill said “Those who bend their knees can stand in every situation.” True he is! Oh that I would have the strength of the Lord each day in carrying out the responsibilities of my workplace and the responsibilities of heavenly duties.
  2. Dedicated to true fellowship
    It is insufficient to just be “plugged” into a church.  I cannot settle for a flimsy definition of “fellowship,” but rather, dynamic dependent relationships which steer us towards Jesus. I need a group of believers around me who I can intimately and honestly encourage and receieve encouragement. I have a few in my life, but I need to be dedicated to those relationships so that we may grow in maturity for Jesus

So these are my reflections on this new season and these are my resolutions. I pray those in college and those working have been blessed by reading this.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you and may He grow your love for Him so that you will be satisfied!

Amen.