Working from home provides greater flexibility, but it also comes with its fair share of temptations. How can Christians best glorify God through remote work?
I recently spoke to a friend who has been working from home since 2020, when COVID-19 forced his employer, like many others, to begin accommodating remote work. In the past four years, his company has gone from fully remote to hybrid (in-office two days per week) and is now threatening to return everyone to fully in-office.
This has my friend in a pickle.
“They’ve tried this before,” he told me. But every time, the employees threatened to find other jobs if forced to return to the office. After he caught wind that they were serious about it this time, he began applying for other jobs that would let him retain the flexibility he’s enjoyed from working remotely.
Since the rise of remote work, there has been a power struggle between employers and employees. Most employers want workers in the office, while most employees want the freedom that comes from working from home. To appreciate just how wide this divide is, consider this study conducted by LinkedIn, which found that while just 9.5% of job postings were for remote work, 45.9% of applications were for remote positions!
What should my friend do? Or what might you do if you find yourself in a similar situation? Is remote work a hill worth dying on, or has it become an idol to be repented of? Let me offer three pieces of advice that focus on the heart.
Appreciate the Blessings
First, appreciate the blessings of remote work. And there are many!
- Greater flexibility
- Time with family
- Keeping up on household chores
- Freedom from office distractions.
Remote work is not a luxury everyone can enjoy. So give thanks to God if you do have that opportunity.
But, simultaneously, recognize that remote work is not a right. Even this past week, I caught myself saying, “I would never go back to working in an office.” That’s the wrong attitude, one of which I had to repent.
We must be careful of idolizing our work situation or, similarly, coveting the work situations of others. Christians serve God. We go where he sends us. This life, our vocation, all of it is a stewardship from Him. Our comfort must never become the deciding factor in how we fulfill our vocation.
We also must be willing to accept that the blessing of a remote position may end. The Lord may have something different for us in the future. Or if you’ve longed to have a remote work position, it may simply not be something the Lord has for you. Regardless, when it comes to work, we must say, “Not my will, but yours be done, God.”
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
– Colossians 3:17
Beware the Temptations
Even as we recognize the blessings of remote work, we must be aware of the temptations it may bring. It’s easier to be lazy when no one is watching. We can test the boundaries for how little we do during the work day. Will anyone notice? And before we know it, we are no longer working with integrity.
There’s another form of slacking; we might call it doing “fake work.” You learn to work the system to make your bare minimum look impressive. There’s an entire community on Reddit called r/overemployed which discusses how remote employees can work multiple remote jobs at the same time. One of the main tactics they use is to be very communicative. If, they are quick to respond to their employers (plural), they can gain a reputation of being a good worker without ever having to produce anything of value. We might not go so far as to deceive multiple employers to increase our income, but we may find ourselves pulling similar strategies so we can cut corners while saving face.
Along with these temptations, we often find an even deeper heart issue—we justify our indolence. We begin to tell ourselves that it’s okay to slack and deceive. We tell ourselves, “My boss doesn’t appreciate me anyway,” or “Everyone else is doing it.” But when you find yourself justifying sin instead of repenting of it, you are in dangerous territory spiritually.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
– Colossians 3:23–24
Exploit the Opportunities
But don’t let the potential for temptation cause you to swear off the incredible opportunities remote work affords the Christian. Here are a few ways believers can maximize the opportunities to bless their employers, co-workers, families, and even themselves.
- Lean into the blessings of remote flexibility, but do so with a clear conscience.
- Have a conversation with your supervisor to get clear on the boundaries.
- Demonstrate a God-honoring work ethic, even when no one is watching.
- Don’t just meet expectations; exceed them. Remember, you are working for Christ.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
– Proverbs 10:9
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