One of the strategies for living a Created For So Much More lifestyle is “Do the Work.” What I mean by that phrase is do the stuff that is often not very fun.
As an artist, I love to design and paint. I do not love to finish edges, add wires, pack and ship work. But if I am going to be meet the expectations of my clients, I must do the work I do not enjoy so that they can receive and enjoy their painting.
Today I want to add the phrase “as if” to that strategy of “Do the Work.” Do the work as if….
Paul writes in Philippians 3:13-14
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Press on toward the goal for the prize of your calling, Dear One. Do the work AS IF you already had 30 clients. Do the word AS IF you already had a second location. Do the work AS IF 100 people had registered for your webinar—or in my case, conference.
Your perspective of the work changes when you add AS IF to doing the work. Suddenly you see the mundane tasks as more important and I believe you raise your standard of excellence across the board. It is a sea-level change to your approach to the work. When you are doing work for 100 rather than ten, it somehow automatically feels more important, more urgent, and more fulfilling to accomplish.
Your perspective of yourself changes as you see yourself accomplishing your dream and work with a mindset of dedicated purpose. I have written before about how important our thoughts are. When you switch your mindset to the “AS IF” mindset, you live more fully as who God created you to be.
These past weeks I have created flyers, recorded and edited videos, shipped a painting, done the admin work of the ministry, and watched videos about editing my website. None of this work is “ministry” per se. All of it is necessary. The enemy would like to tell me that no one cares. When I add AS IF to my tasks, the enemy is silenced. When I add as if to the work, I tell the enemy that I am doing the work I was created to do and it is so much easier to say, “regardless of the outcome or numbers.” I can more freely focus on the work the Lord has called me to do.
Silence the doubts and discouragements that come your way by doing the work AS IF you are living the dream the Lord gave you. You are!
Today you are exactly where you need to be in order to reach your tomorrow and the amazing future the Lord has for you.