Most of us spend the bulk of our adult lives working—yet many have never stopped to ask, “What is God’s purpose for my work?” For too long, we’ve separated the sacred from the secular, as if our jobs are merely earthly obligations while only ministry or missions belong to heaven’s work. But that’s not how God sees it.

Theologian N.T. Wright teaches that God’s Kingdom didn’t begin with a someday-in-heaven promise—it began with Jesus and continues through the Spirit-empowered work of His people today. And that includes your work. Every spreadsheet, business transaction, service rendered, and problem solved has potential to echo the values of the Kingdom—justice, generosity, creativity, restoration, and love.

Work is not just about income; it’s about participation in God’s redemptive plan. In fact, when God created humanity, He gave us the mandate to steward creation—not dominate it, but nurture and develop it. That mandate hasn’t changed. Your work is a continuation of Eden’s call and a reflection of the New Creation to come.

We see a striking example in 2 Kings 4:1–7. A widow, desperate and broken, comes to the prophet Elisha. She had lost her husband, and now risked losing her sons to slavery due to debt. It was a moment of despair—but God met her not with mere provision, but with a calling. Through Elisha, God asked her, “What do you have?” She replied, “A little oil.”

That “little oil” became the basis of a Kingdom enterprise. She collected jars, poured out her faith, and in the process, God multiplied her effort. She paid her debts, saved her sons, and lived on the surplus. That is God’s economy in action—where work is not divorced from faith, and business is not separate from calling. It’s a picture of God restoring lives through faithful work.

Here’s the principle:

Let’s stop thinking of work as a grind and start seeing it as Kingdom participation. Let us remember that we’re not just saved from something—we’re saved for something. And one of the most tangible ways we live that out is through our work.

God is not just preparing us for heaven—He is preparing heaven to come to earth. And when you work with skill, humility, excellence, and generosity, you become part of that future breaking into the present.

So whether you’re leading a business, freelancing, managing a team, or serving clients—do it in the name of the King, for the good of others, and the glory of God. Because when we work with Kingdom purpose, our work becomes worship—and our marketplace becomes a mission field.