Built to Thrive at Work Pt.7 - Bishop Dwight Fletcher | HEALTHY WORK RELATIONSHIPS HELP YOU THRIVE

Your relationships are key to your resilience and your progress at work. Thriving at your job becomes so much easier, and long-lasting, when you do it in the context of community. I am not speaking so much about your friends or accountability partners. I am speaking about relationships at work. 

 Some of us tend to think that God is the only one who determines what happens to us. It is true that God plans it, but the blessing always comes through another human being. So, if the person at work does not see you with favour, he or she can stifle your progress because God gives people free will. That person can be disobedient to the will of God and stop it.  

 Think about it this way – Luke 2:52 (NIV) says, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Why was this important for Him to grow in favour with man? He was the Son of God, with all power and authority at His disposal. But He grew in favour with man to further His purposes here on earth. For example, Jesus needed the favour of women who ended up supporting His ministry by giving Him money. If He did not experience that favour, His ministry would have been limited.  A part of our destiny is locked up in the hands of other people. You need people around you to progress.

That’s one reason why Romans 12:18 (NIV) tells us,  “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” When you look at Joseph in the Bible, one thing that we don’t consider often is the important role that other persons played in his progress. The Scripture tells us that he had favour with Potiphar, his boss. Genesis 39:3-4 (NIV) says, “When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favour in his eyes and became his attendant.” 

 It is this favour that saved Joseph’s life when Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him of rape. Genesis 39 tells us that Potiphar was furious when he heard the accusation, but he didn’t kill Joseph. It might not seem that way, but this was favour borne out of relationship. Under any other condition Joseph would be dead. Joseph was a slave; slaves had no rights.  

 As a matter of fact, I conclude that Potiphar likely believed Joseph more than he believed his wife. Killing people was not a challenge for people like Potiphar, but he was aware of Joseph’s character, his conduct, his integrity and something did not add up with his wife’s accusation. Instead of death, he put him in prison, and this helped Joseph towards his destiny.  

There are people you will need to get your job done – build a relationship with them. 

Some of them are your destiny helpers; those that will open doors, introduce you to the right people, and mention your name at the right time. 

 And trust that the Lord will give you His Spirit to excel on the job. It is His intent to be glorified through you; therefore, He wants you to be your best. With God’s empowerment and with God’s anointing, you can handle things better, last longer, and go farther than ever before. That is how you will thrive at work.  He will give you the power. He will activate the Spirit’s power within you.  

 As we close out this series, I pray that we would all be God’s agents at work. God, activate that power and strength by Your Holy Spirit. Anoint us with wisdom and understanding; make us more capable of being who you have called us to be. Use our vocation for Your glory. Make us resilient so we can thrive. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.