Vocational Disciplines (7)

But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. Galatians 6.4

Examine your work
Paul’s instruction is clear enough: We are to examine our work, all aspects of our calling in the Kingdom, in order to discover its worth, whether it is expressing Kingdom convictions and producing Kingdom fruit.

After all, the good work to which we have been called, in all areas of our lives, is a calling from the Lord, a vocation whereby He intends to advance His Kingdom, bless the world, and bring honor and glory to His name. Surely we ought to pay careful attention to our work, to discover where we are and where we are not living up to this high and holy standard?

We want to be able to rejoice and even boast in our work, but only in the Lord and not in anything of our own. An examination, as any student knows, involves questions. What kind of questions might we ask in examining our work? Here are a few: Does my work express excellence in line with the excellence of the Lord? Is the fruit of my work consistent with the righteousness, peace, and joy of the Kingdom? Is my work a help or hindrance to others in doing their work? Are the fruits of my work what they should be in terms of quantity and quality? Are there yet any hindrances in my life, causing my labors for the Lord to be in vain?

One reason for examining our work is so that we can improve in any areas where deficiencies are in evidence. The final vocational discipline that we will consider is that of improvement – examining our work and taking steps to improve in all areas of our work unto the Lord.

What does this require of us?

The self-watch
First, we need to put in place some disciplines involving a regular self-watch, so that we review the work we’ve done and are able, before the Lord, to evaluate it carefully. Scripture contains many such exhortations to this self-watch, including Proverbs 4.20-27, Matthew 12.33-37, and 1 Timothy 4.16. In some aspects of our calling, reviewing and improving our work will be built in to the work itself, as in our jobs, when supervisors or bosses or boards examine the work we do. But we need to carry this practice into all aspects of our work, so that we are consistently and continuously making sure our work is as it should be unto the Lord.

The best place to do this, of course, is in prayer, waiting on the Lord to search through your work and how you’ve used your time, to affirm the good works you’ve done, point out any areas where you missed an opportunity or might have done something differently or better, and showing you steps to take in order the better to serve the Lord in all aspects of your calling (Ps. 139.23, 24). Spending time each day in silence before the Lord, reviewing your work and looking ahead to what’s next, can provide a healthy and fruitful self-watch component for all your vocational disciplines.

Life-long learning
Besides a healthy self-watch every believer needs to develop a regimen of study, beyond the Word of God, that can help you to improve in aspects of your calling. The word “disciple” actually means “learner.” Disciples are those who are committed to learning as much as they can in order to improve themselves in all facets and phases of their callings from the Lord.

Here all the familiar means of learning can be brought to bear: reading, taking a course, keeping up with websites, journals, periodicals, and so forth which may have a bearing on your calling. The enemy of improvement is not difficulty, but indifference. While each of us needs “down time” or time to rest and recreate, too much of this good thing can actually hinder our ability to fulfill our calling. If we are indifferent to the need for improvement, we’ll simply give in to the temptation to fritter away the time God entrusts to us in frivolous activities. Not only will this not improve our calling, but such indifference to improvement can actually cause us to pull back from our calling, or to fulfill it in ways that do not honor the Lord.

We recall that Paul commands us to make good use of the Lord’s time, as Jonathan Edwards wrote, to improve our time with activities focused on seeking Christ and His Kingdom. Moses taught us to seek the Lord for wisdom so that the time of our lives might be used for the work we’ve been given to do as we faithfully serve the Lord in our particular callings in life.

We will heed either heed this counsel, embrace our callings, and give ourselves wholeheartedly to the good works for which Christ has redeemed us, or we will conduct our lives on this earth like fools, who are heedless of the good purposes, promises, and blessings of God (Eph. 5.15-17). We can be wise, fruitful, and abundantly blessed in all the work we’ve been given to do if we will take up the vocational disciplines recommended in the Word of God and use them to run our race with zeal and joy unto the Lord.

Next steps: Do you have someone to help you review your work, encourage you in it, and hold you accountable for specific goals and objectives? Ask a Christian friend to become an accountability partner with you as you work to improve your vocational disciplines.

T. M. Moore

This week’s study, Vocational Disciplines, is part 5 of a 7-part series on The Disciplined Life, and is available as a free download by clicking here. We have prepared a special worksheet to help you begin getting your disciplines in proper shape for seeking the Kingdom. Write to T. M. at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for your free PDF of the “Disciplined Life Worksheet.”

A rightly-disciplined life requires a Kingdom vision, and that vision is centered on Jesus Christ exalted. T. M. has prepared a series of meditations on the glorious vision of Christ, based on Scripture and insights from the Celtic Christian tradition. Order your copy of Be Thou My Vision by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.