A friend recently admitted to me that he struggles with his identity being wrapped around his work. This is a problem for many in the workplace.

Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, spoke about this subject at a Faith and Work conference at Samford.

His profound insight was, “When you make your work an identity, if you’re successful, it goes to your head, and, if you’re not, it destroys your heart,” Keller said. “It’s far more destructive and more draining than it ought to be.”

In Exodus 20:3 God said, “You shall have no other gods before me.”

God has called us to the workplaces in which we serve, and our work should be done with excellence. But our work should never become an idol.