“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
Joy can be contagious.
Early in the pandemic, joy felt a bit scarce. But a viral tweet from a garbage collector in March captured the essence of workplace joy—whatever your job may be—in the midst of uncertain circumstances.
“I’m a garbageman, I can’t work from home and my job is an essential city service that must get done,” he wrote. “It’s a tough job, from getting up pre-dawn to the physical toll it takes on my body to the monotonous nature of the job, at times it’s hard to keep on going.”
“Peter speaks to the ways these trials and responding with joy can actually serve as a means of refining your own heart, to the glory of God.”
But in the midst of the fear others were experiencing as the reality of an impending lockdown, Coronavirus concerns, and general paranoia were sweeping the nation, he felt a renewed sense of pride for his own essential work.
“Us garbagemen are gonna keep collecting the garbage, doctors and nurses are gonna keep doctoring and nurse-ering,” he concluded. “It’s gonna be ok, we’re gonna make it be ok.”
Our third Monday of Advent focuses on joy and the ways joy can shape our own work.
In the opening of his letter to Christians facing tension and pressure, it is joy that Peter chooses to focus on in seeking to build up those who were surely feeling a bit weary as they stood for Christ in a cultural moment that sought to stamp out any flame of gospel hope.
Yet, Peter says to consider it joy when you face hardships. How does that play out in your own life and work?
Peter speaks to the ways these trials and responding with joy can actually serve as a means of refining your own heart, to the glory of God.
“Whatever it may be, your work, even in the midst of pushback, is an opportunity to shine forth the joy of Christ, who is working, even in those trials, to mold your heart.”
Maybe this looks like stopping to take a few deep breaths in the midst of year-end deadlines or a busy and taxing work project. Maybe it looks like dancing during a lunch break. Maybe it looks like writing out and returning to a list of positives and privileges you enjoy about your work each day to recenter your heart and mind.
Whatever it may be, your work, even in the midst of pushback, is an opportunity to shine forth the joy of Christ, who is working, even in those trials, to mold your heart.
So this year and beyond, may you take a renewed sense of pride in what you do and even whistle a bit while you work.
Father God, may your joy enliven my heart. So often I can feel downcast by the struggles of work, nagging coworkers, a lording boss. But these things take my eyes off the joy your salvation brings to me. Forgive me, Lord, and restore me to the joy of my salvation. By your Spirit, may I joyfully serve my work and model the hope of the gospel to my coworkers and neighbors, even and especially when times can be tough. In Jesus’ name, amen.
If you would like to directly support the work of CFWLA this giving season, you can do so at faithandworkla.com/donation.
Gage Arnold is the Communications Director for the Center for Faith & Work Los Angeles. He is currently an M.Div student at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO., and holds a B.S. in Journalism & Electronic Media from the University of Tennessee.