We don’t often think of work as a good thing. Many of us long for retirement or pine for a world where we can work less and play more.
And while there’s wisdom in finding work-life balance and putting aside time for rest and recreation, work shouldn’t be seen as a roadblock to happiness and fulfillment.
In fact, we derive fulfillment from our work, but it’s easy to overlook this in the face of discontentment. How can we affirm the truths of work? Let’s look to Scripture.
Work is a massive part of our lives on Earth. The average person will spend one-third of their entire life at work. That number might seem daunting—and maybe even a little depressing—but it doesn’t need to be. Work wasn’t intended to be a negative factor in life—God intended us to work from the onset of creation, even before the fall.
Genesis 2:15 (NIV) says, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Before Satan tempted humankind and the curse of sin entered the world, we were called to work. This was all a part of God’s perfect plan for us. It makes sense, too, since work provides fulfillment for most people. We weren’t created to sit around and do nothing; we were created to enrich this world through our unique gifts and talents.
Imagine how fulfilling a life dedicated to God’s service would be. Now, make your imagination your reality—our work should always point back to Christ. Here are some verses that affirm this truth loud and clear:
Even if the people around you aren’t receptive, you should still glorify God. Besides, our focus should be on eternal things—not worldly gain (John 6:27 NIV).