In his famous work, the Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis wrote that,
“Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels that he is finding his place in it, while really it is finding its place in him.”
We are taught from a very young age that being competent and confident helps us get what we want.
We want to play on the basketball team, so we practice endlessly to achieve that
We want to go to college, so we study hard and make good grades
We want to be successful adults, so we pursue competence in something that will pay us
Much like Lewis’ quote, we would all likely say that we are just trying to find our way in the world. The reality, however, is that what we really want is to be independent, or said differently, to be in control.
Wrongly Ordered Development
We all have a development plan. A plan that takes us from where we are, to where we want to be in life. For some, its a formal plan with your boss, while for others its more of an unspoken plan.
Having a plan isn’t a bad thing, in fact, God calls us to pursue excellence in our work. Remember, Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” God commands us to do our best, and having a plan shows that you care!
The dignity of our plan hinges on one very important factor, is it secondary to God’s Development Plan, or did we prioritize it above or in place of God’s plan.
Allow me to explain.
When we fail to rightly put God’s plan first, our plan becomes what I’m calling, “The Devil’s Development Plan”, which goes something like this: Develop skills that give you competence and confidence, allow the world reward you for it, and let that reward quietly convince you God isn't necessary.
Comparing God’s Development Plan to the Devil’s
Here’s how the comparison breaks down:
Stage | The Devil’s Plan | God’s Plan |
|---|---|---|
Starting Point | It starts with behavior and skills. | It starts with the heart. (Proverbs 4:23)1 |
What counts as growth | Growth means adding more skills, credentials, and competencies | Growth means a heart being formed and revealed over time. (Matthew 7:17-18)2 |
Source of power | It runs on self-generated effort, discipline, and willpower. | It runs on the Spirit filling and empowering, not on self-production. (2 Corinthians 3:18)3 |
What it produces | It produces skilled and capable workers on the outside, but lacking formation on the inside. | It produces a person increasingly conformed to the image of Christ. (Ezekial 36:26)4 |
Relationship to God | It makes God optional, because competence becomes its own comfort. | It makes God necessary, because the whole plan depends on his ongoing work. (John 15:5)5 |
Under Pressure | It reverts to self-protection and control to defend what effort built. | It reverts to trust, because nothing was self-built to begin with. (Proverbs 3:5-6)6 |
Where it ends | It ends in a self-sufficiency so complete that God starts to feel unnecessary. | It ends in sonship, a son working in the Father’s business. (Galatians 4:7)8 |
Getting our Plans in Order
While the comparison chart above may feel like a tough blow to our Christian egos, I believe it actually serves as a reminder for how great God’s love is for us. He knows that we will continue to sin and fall short, but yet Christ died for us while we were still sinners, so that we might experience life to the fullest:
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
This is why I believe that recovering God’s original design for our work is so important.
Our work was never intended to be a pathway to self-reliance, our work was intended to be a pathway to relationship with God, the first worker.
So here is my encouragement for us this week. Let’s bring the sin of our wrongly ordered development plans out of the darkness and into the light.
Here are three ways we can do this together:
1⃣ Do your homework. What is your version of the Devil’s Development Plan today? Write down how you are trying to develop self-reliance through your work.
2⃣ Turn in your homework. Give your “Devil’s Development Plan” to someone you love and ask them to review it. Review theirs in return. Pay attention to what the Lord stirs and share that with your partner in the exercise.
3⃣ Sit with the Lord. Take your homework, the feedback from your partner, and share it with Jesus. Ask him to reveal to you what he wants you to do next.
While the fight will never end, I pray that by bringing these false development plans to the light, it might bring transformation within us, positive impact around us, and glory to God for both. And, if you don’t have anyone who comes to mind, send me your homework and I’ll do it with you!
As always, please respond to this email if you’d like to chat and discuss anything from this or other posts! And if you have any friends who you think might derive value from exploring Wholehearted Work - I’d love for you to share it with them.
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With Heart,
Alex
1 Proverbs 4:23 — "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."
2 Matthew 7:17-18 — "So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit."
3 2 Corinthians 3:18 — "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
4 Philippians 3:8 — "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ."
5 John 15:5 — "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
6 Proverbs 3:5-6 — "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
7 Philippians 4:13 — "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
8 Galatians 4:7 — "So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
