Whether we realize it or not, God is always at work in and through us. As Pastor Anand Mahadevan explained, we are called to be both objects of God’s renewal—transformed by His grace—and agents of His renewal, partnering with Him to bring restoration into the world. In both our successes and struggles, in tasks that feel mundane or meaningful, God is doing something profound. The gospel reorients our view of work, moving us beyond self-focus and pointing us toward eternal significance.

Objects of God’s Renewal
First, we are objects of renewal. God is constantly at work within us, shaping and transforming us into the image of Christ. Pastor Anand emphasized that this is not a part-time process: “God renews us 24/7, wherever we are—including in our workplaces.” The challenges, relationships, and even frustrations we experience at work are not random; they are tools God uses to renew us.

Our workplaces are integral to our discipleship. While the local church teaches us God’s truth, our jobs are where we live out that truth. “True discipleship,” Pastor Anand said, “is not complete until we live out what we have learned.” At work, we encounter situations that test our patience, integrity, and humility in ways the church cannot replicate. God uses these circumstances to expose our sinfulness and grow us in Christlikeness.

Pastor Anand offered diagnostic questions to assess whether we are embracing God’s renewing work:

• On good days, do we celebrate our work without being consumed by it?
• On bad days, do we persevere faithfully without being crushed by disappointment?

In both scenarios, Christ must remain our greatest joy and strongest assurance. If He is, then we are living as objects of God’s renewal.

Agents of God’s Renewal
Second, we are agents of renewal. God is actively renewing creation, and He graciously invites us to partner with Him in this work. “We are part of how God cares for the world,” Pastor Anand explained. Our work—whether in business, education, healthcare, or the arts—participates in His plan to restore what sin has broken.

However, living as agents of renewal comes with tension. Pastor Anand observed that we often think in a linear way: we expect God to finish His work in us before He works through us. Yet the reality is simultaneous. We are being renewed while participating in God’s renewal of the world.

When we focus too much on one aspect, imbalance occurs:

• Emphasizing only God’s work in us can make us inward-looking and detached from the world.
• Emphasizing only God’s work through us can lead to shallow efforts, lacking the Spirit’s transformative fruit.

Instead, we are called to live in this dual reality—growing in Christ while partnering with Him in His mission to renew all things. As Pastor Anand pointed out, this requires a shift in our perspective. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on things that are on earth.” A high view of work sees God as the primary beneficiary of our labour, with human flourishing and personal fulfillment following as natural outcomes.

The Faith to Live as Objects and Agents of Renewal
How do we embrace this call to live as both objects and agents of God’s renewal? It requires faith—faith to believe the gospel and set our hope on Christ. Pastor Anand turned to Colossians 3:3-4: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

This profound truth changes everything. When we believe that our lives are hidden with Christ, we no longer need to strive for significance through our work. “We all work for [our own] glory,” Pastor Anand admitted, “but most of that glory will fade. Only the work done for Christ will last into eternity.”

The promise of eternal significance frees us from the exhausting cycle of self-promotion and performance. We work hard, but not for our own glory. We rest well, trusting that God is sovereign over our success and failures. The question is this: are we working for our own fading glory, or do we believe that Christ is our life? If it is the latter, then we can work diligently without being consumed, rest deeply without being idle, and trust that our work matters—because it is done for the Lord.