In This Episode:
This episode discusses how to handle times when we are not appreciated or recognized for the work that we do.
Episode Transcript:
Opening
On today’s episode, what to do when you’re not appreciated in your work.
You’re listening to Your Faith At Work with Dr. Ryan S. Howard, a podcast to inspire and equip you to partner with God in your daily work. Visit your YourFaithAtWork.org to learn more and download your free copy of 21 Days to a New Workplace You.
Episode
I’m sure that you’ve had a time in your life or in your work where you were not recognized for something you had done or people didn’t appreciate what you had done.
Jesus and the Lepers
This reminds me of the time when Jesus healed the 10 lepers. This is in Luke 17 starting in verse 11. He healed the 10 lepers. He told them to go to the priests and they’d be cleansed and they were, all of them were healed. But only one of them came back to praise Him and to thank Him for what He had done in verse 16.
Now the other nine, their lack of appreciation didn’t distract Jesus from his mission. It didn’t make Him regret what He had done. It didn’t make Him change Him mind or Him approach on anything. It didn’t phase Him at all with what He was there to do. His mission wasn’t to get the praise and recognition of others. Of course not.
There are times in our work when we certainly don’t feel appreciated or recognized. It may happen all the time to some of us. It could come through criticism or ripping on a little piece of something that you have done or a small piece of feedback that overshadows the rest of everything you’ve done that’s been great.
Stolen Recognition
Well, I remember a time when someone actually took credit for something that I had done in an effort that I had led. They were congratulated in notice sent out to a big organization and they didn’t redirect the praise where it should have gone. Which would have been to a team and me that had done the actual work.
I was pretty angry with this for what had happened and I couldn’t think of a good way to bring it up without looking bad and just having it not go the way I wanted it to. So I just decided to let it go. Well, God saw the kind of work I did. He knew He could trust me to give my best. But the thought did cross my mind that, well, maybe I shouldn’t even do this work if it’s not going to be appreciated.
True Motivation
Well, that made me reflect on my true motivation. Just like Jesus wasn’t phased by the lack of recognition, I didn’t want to be phased by that either. So when these things come up, it’s in these situations that God can use it. It’s what happens internally inside of us that matters and what he cares about.
The key is to not get discouraged. It may surface things that we don’t like about ourselves. That’s natural. That’s okay, but we need to run to Christ as soon as we see it. We need to give it to the Lord and we need to learn to lean on Him and let our confidence in our identity be built up in Him.
What Work is Really About
Our work is about God. It’s not about us. So in these kinds of times we can think about what God might want to do in a situation and how He wants to work on us. Your reward is with the Lord and Him seeing what you’re doing and knowing that you’re giving your best. Our reward is not from people or from the recognition of others.
So the next time you don’t get recognized or you feel unappreciated, remember Colossians 3:23, that we are to work with our whole heart and we work for the Lord and not for man.
Closing
Thanks for listening to Your Faith At Work with Dr. Ryan S. Howard, if you enjoyed this podcast, we’d love for you to subscribe, share, and leave us a review. Be sure to visit your YourFaithAtWork.org to download your free copy of 21 Days to a New Workplace You. And remember, God wants to partner with you in your work every day.
