Beyond Good Intentions: Rethinking How Our Work Makes a Difference

Guest Contributor: Korrie L. Silver

I have spent much of my life being the person who sees what could be done. I see the connection that should be made, the project that could be strengthened, the person who needs encouragement and the opportunity others have overlooked. Can you relate?

For years, I assumed that seeing the need meant I was responsible for responding to it.

I no longer believe that.

I still believe our work is one of the most powerful ways we serve others and shape our communities. But I have learned that meaningful work requires more than availability. It also requires discernment.

Discernment is not simply seeing a need; it is understanding your responsibility toward that need. We are responsible not only for honing and using our gifts, but for discerning where, when and how those gifts should be used.

1 Peter 4:10, encourages us that “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” Here we catch a glimpse of the grace anointing that comes upon our gifts when we serve others as faithful stewards of that gift.

Interesting, right? When we are working with discernment, we will experience a supernatural grace that enhances our purpose: the work of our hands, our creativity, our stewardship, and therefore also the impact and the results.

I don’t know about you, but I know what it feels like to work under an anointing of grace, or ease versus when I catch myself striving, toiling because I am doing work that is not mine to do.

One brings joy; the other brings frustration.

Here’s the real truth - the existence of a need does not automatically establish a personal assignment.

Let’s consider how Jesus operated. He served generously, but He did not meet every need, remain in every town or respond to every demand. His service was compassionate, but it was also directed and focused. He said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me…” (John 9:4a); which pulls us into a deeper more intentional question:

Are we trying to make a difference, or are we willing, like Jesus, to become disciplined enough to make the difference that is only ours to make?

The first is aspirational.

The second requires discernment.

Discernment that will impact the choices we make. Choices that may require:

• Saying no;

• Ending an unproductive commitment or relationship;

• Accepting that we cannot rescue everyone;

• Charging appropriately;

• Allowing others to carry responsibility;

• Choosing depth over breadth;

• Working without immediate recognition;

• Measuring outcomes rather than activity.

Just to name a few.

Meaningful work requires us to examine not only what we do, but why we do it, whom it serves, what it produces and whether we are stewarding our contribution wisely.

Perhaps a helpful way to think about this is through what I call the ROAR Method:

Recognize. Own. Activate. Release.

Recognize - ask yourself, “What do I see?” Recognize where God has already positioned you. Recognize what you uniquely carry. Often, we spend so much time asking God where He wants to use us that we can overlook where He has already placed us. We cannot meaningfully serve what/who we have not learned to see.

Own - Take responsibility for what has been entrusted to you; ask yourself, “What am I responsible for?” It is easy to say, “Someone should do something about that.” Ownership asks a deeper question: “What is mine to do?” Recognition without ownership becomes observation; however, ownership is not taking responsibility for everything. Own the gift that has been entrusted to you; not everybody else’s.

Activate - Put what you uniquely carry to work; ask yourself, “How can my work itself become an instrument of service?” Good intentions do not create impact. Activated gifts do.

Release - Let the work become larger than you. Consider that the highest expression of meaningful work may not be what you personally accomplish. It may well be what becomes possible for others because you were there; the foundation was already laid.

Recognition makes us aware.

Ownership makes us responsible.

Activation makes us useful.

Release makes our impact multiply.

To ROAR is not about making more noise. It is about becoming more intentional with what has been entrusted to you.

Your ROAR is not only something you do. It is something you steward—and stewardship always ask who else is being served by what has been placed in your hands.

Who is better because you were here?

Not richer. Not more impressive. Not more successful. Better.

Better equipped. Better seen. Better served. Better positioned.

More hopeful. More capable. More connected.

We often believe that making a difference requires us to say yes to more. Our greatest contribution may depend on discerning what is truly ours to do - and having the courage to focus there and do it well.

Korrie L. Silver is a Business Strategist & Thinking Partner who helps leaders and entrepreneurs cut through complexity, clarify priorities, and make confident decisions. Drawing on a background in psychology, financial planning, coaching, and business strategy, she brings practical insight and fresh perspective to complex challenges. Korrie is also the author of Own Your Day, Own Your Roar.

Connect with Korrie at: https://korriesilver.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectwithkorriesilver/