Enjoying Work

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Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17, NASB 1995).

Work can be fun, and work can be a pain. Sometimes in the same hour.

But do we enjoy our work? I believe all of us want to work with purpose, find fulfillment, and not dread getting up in the morning.

There has been a lot of attention paid to work in our culture recently. 

Books are written on happiness at work and how to get along with co-workers. Work used to be outside the home, but now it’s inside the home, or both inside and outside the home, or in Spain while working remotely. 

And the ultimate question – is this God’s will for me?

I’ve learned three lessons about enjoying work.

First:  Seek first God’s calling.

Paul writes, “Jesus saved us and called us to a holy calling” (2 Timothy 1:9). 

Each of us has a unique calling in which we find our purpose. Grace is the key to finding and keeping our calling, as our sinful nature will constantly strive against God’s will. Know that the evil one understands our calling and will customize temptations to take us off the narrow path of God’s will. 

But as Paul also writes about our calling . . . 

It’s not based on our works but on His own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began (2 Timothy 1:9).

Second:  Join a team.

We may not be able to find a great team at work, but we can look for one at church. 

Robert Bellah, in a long-ago book entitled Habits of the Heart, wrote that Americans are creating a culture that elevates extreme individualism to such a degree that the ability to find meaning in a committed social structure is vanishing.

I believe Covid indicated this direction as many stopped attending church and never came back.

There is no greater joy and power than working in unity.

Third:  Say, “I have a better future.” Say it often.

Despair is a weapon of the evil one to defeat us. Most who hate their job or their current relationships, upon close consideration, are in the job or relationship because of their bad decisions.

That’s why grace is so important to happiness.

It doesn’t matter our current circumstances because God has a plan that’s just waiting to be revealed to us. Nothing can stop or hinder God’s grace except our decision to not accept it.

I’ve enjoyed working for over 50 years with people who loved their work.  

It’s fun being around people who would do what they are doing even if they were not paid. Many years ago, I received a telephone call from someone who had been volunteering at our ministry. He said, “I’m starting to work for you full-time tomorrow.”

My response was, “Great, but we can’t pay you.”

His response was, “That’s okay, I’ll work for free.”

He ended up working with me for thirty-five years. (Please note that eventually, he was paid.)

I hope that all of us enjoy our work. That we can realize, even in difficult situations, that God’s purposes are worth our sacrifice.

Remember – calling, team, and hope. Develop these three to find joy in your work.