Did you know that the average person will spend one-third of their life – more than 90,000 hours – at work? And a lot of those hours, if we’re honest, will probably be spent wishing we were doing something else. Even in a job I love, I find myself awaiting the end of the workday, the weekend, the next holiday.
Friend, that’s 90,000 hours I’m spending wishing I was somewhere else.
The hardest part for me to swallow is that I’m not even spending those hours efficiently. I’m wasting them. And those hours are a gift from God; my job is a gift from God; and work in general is a gift from God. If I am not honoring God with my work, I am wasting a gift from him.
So how do we make work more enjoyable? By changing our mindset! Here are four ways your work honors God.
#1: WORK IS FOR OUR BENEFIT
Do you know the first thing God told Adam to do after he created him? Work!
If you don’t believe me, check out Genesis 2:15. It says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
A lot of times I think we see work as more of a punishment than a blessing. But we were actually made to do work. It was part of his perfect plan before brokenness even entered the picture.
#2: WORK IS NECESSARY
Work is an important part of God’s plan for us – so important, in fact, that he commands us to work. Without work there would be no food, no clothing, no entertainment, no anything if we all decided not to work.
And not only that, but work helps us grow. It’s more than just earning money. It produces character and maturity and sharpens our skills.
Reflect with me for a moment. My jobs have taught me patience, helped me hone my skills as a writer, developed my ability to work with others and strengthened my work ethic. Every job I’ve had – from being an Applebee’s hostess to now writing for I Am Second – has helped shape me as a person.
#3: WORK MOTIVATES US TO LIVE SECOND
Regardless of what the nameplate reads on your supervisor’s desk, if you’re a follower of Jesus, then your true boss is Jesus. We were designed to work in such a way that, when we work, we are serving him.
For example, Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” And that should drive us to do our very best in Living Second and putting others First.
As followers of Jesus, the rewards we will receive at the end of this life are not from our managers, our bosses or the CEOs. They are from Jesus.
Ultimately, the question we should ask ourselves is: If we could see Jesus as our boss, would we work differently? Makes you think, huh?
#4: WORK IS PREPARED FOR US
Did you know that God has you right where you’re at – in the job you have – because he has specific work for you to do?
The Bible says he has anointed us, which is just a fancy way of saying that God put us somewhere to do a specific job. And he doesn’t just assign that person a particular job; he enables them to do the job. In the same way, God will help you handle any challenge to complete the work he has asked you to do.
What is that work he’s called you to do? It’s not necessarily a specific career or job title. Your role in any line of work is to honor him by being faithful, honest and prayerful about your work and loving towards those you work with.
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