28/365: Work Is a Gift

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God. ~ Ecclesiastes 2:24

"Work" is good. Work should serve as a means to honor God with our skills and talents. It should exhaust us and bring us joy.

What you do for a living doesn't define you. God defines you and gives you the ability to work for a living.

Keep it straight. Work is a gift from God... it's not our "god". Use your opportunity to work as a way to bring Christ into the scene.

GO DEEPER: Psalm 128: 1-6

NEXT STEP: Your work or workplace can be your ministry. Think about what that might look like.

clint mullis

on 01/29/2023 at 01:54 PM

I don’t know why but I always get stuck with either lazy people or arrogant people. My current job is the few doing the work for the many. My ‘’boss’’ is the laziest man I’ve ever been around in my life

Ethan Rogers

on 01/28/2023 at 10:14 PM

I used to work 16-18 hours a day at my own business. I loved it, and it was easy. Now I find working for someone else, I feel I can barely make 8 hours. There is a reason God allowed me to lose that business. I was cocky and neglected my family, all the time telling myself it was an investment. Well, my mother is passed, everything I put into that business is gone but the lesson and the humbling that God has given me as a gift. I'm sure there is many more reasons. I have such deep grief and remorse, let alone the resentments that came from that loss. I pray to be able to use my horrible experience to help others not get into the trap of Satan that I was in with that business. I think back, and I would have defended all that I had with my life, all that is gone today. I have to look at it as that old person that I was is dead. I must trust in God and all his purpose for my life. I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Romans 8:28 All happens for the greater good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

Nick W

on 01/28/2023 at 10:04 PM

My pastor gave me the advice that I should pray daily for my colleagues. I confess that there are days that I allow myself to get too busy and distracted to do it, but I do my best to grow in being consistent. I know that God honors it, and I trust that He's working in their lives, and I know that He's using that prayer time to work a change in me, too. God. Is. GOOD!

Damon

on 01/28/2023 at 09:01 PM

Work is a blessing and to have the freedom to be able to share who he is, is is even better. While I was serving in active duty I would frequently have just conversations about Christ and they would lead into deeper conversations . God will make a way a clear way for you to minister to your workplace if you let him.

Ladd Paulson

on 01/28/2023 at 05:33 PM

I used to get paid to ride a Harley and carry a gun. I was a motor cop and I loved my job, some nights, couldn't believe they paid me to do it, yet many were the exact opposite. God got me through all of them until one night He took it all away. That's the way I saw it at the time anyway. A horrible accident ended my career and truth be told probably saved my marriage. I couldn't witness too well to a guy in handcuffs. (although I tried a few times) After a long recovery my wife and I started counseling married cops in similar circumstances. With God's blessings we have seen some amazing things happen. Saved marriages, stopped suicides and state & national laws passed to help disabled LEOS. God is good all the time even when you think he is doing something wrong.

Tim Fitzsimmons

on 01/28/2023 at 04:35 PM

Since accepting Jesus, I've always seen work as a mission field to share Him; whether in how I work or looking for opportunities to speak His Love and Truth into struggles others are going through. But for me it starts with being authentic with them so they feel the freedom to be honest and authentic with me. By building relationships I've been blest to share the gift of Eternal Life with them. I'm so grateful the Holy Spirit is so personal and speaks & guides us in our relationships!

Bobby

on 01/28/2023 at 03:38 PM

I work with young men every year who need reminders that they are not alone. I just hope I use those daily opportunities to be an example and guide their faith as they grow in their journey.

Tommy Williamson

on 01/28/2023 at 03:18 PM

I have enjoyed most of the jobs that I had in my life. There were a few that I could say I didn’t but as I look back over live those were generally jobs I was working when I really was not in a right place with God and not serving him like I should. In most jobs I sought to work hard, get my job done with quality and do more than was expected of me. One instance was on my last job when a big challenge had occurred because corporate changes their methods of reporting numbers down to the units. Prior to the change each week they would report our numbers in a format that was easy for our staff to translate the information into the Excel worksheets we used to report to our clients. The change made this very difficult and was causing hours of overtime every week. I watched as the frustration began to built so I started playing with the numbers and soon wrote an Excel Script to convert corporates data from the format they gave us into the out Excel sheets and automatically load each sheet. Even though I had written many computer programs I had never written an Excel Script before this and had never even researched the language. Basically the work was done in my limited spare time and even on some of my own time was spent studying the technical aspects but I really didn’t mind because I was doing it to help others. Always look for ways to help others even on your job.

Ashley Jarvis

on 01/28/2023 at 02:51 PM

When we turn our lives over, we find that joy we’ve always wanted that we saw in others as they shined for us. Joy and happiness are two totally different things. One is fleeting and temporary, we can go from happy to sad in a phone call or text. Joy, is a state of comfort and assurance that God is in control, and that he favors us. In other words, no matter what happens, that He somehow is working on answering our prayers before we even know we need to be praying them. No matter what job we have, any and all, provide us opportunities to share that joy with those around us in the world, in our workplace, through the phone, or even in a zoom meeting. Be that joy for others daily, and you’ll come to love what you’re doing. If you’re miserable at your job, chances are those around you are as well. Somebody, HAS to bring the joy or the cycle continues. You, are called to bring that joy. YOU, are Gods child, with a special assignment in everything you do, to be the light in this world, to be the salt, to be the difference in someone’s day today. Even that person at the drive through, can smile warmly at hundreds of sick people daily. Following God, means no more excuses. No more grumbling. No more Poor Me’s. We are blessed, and we’re called to act like it, Amen 🙏🏻

Jerome

on 01/28/2023 at 02:22 PM

Work IS a gift. To be productive and to do a job well is a major source of satisfaction to me. I was a corporate facilities engineer for most of my forty years of employment (now retired). During that stretch there were projects that had I have fostered a negative attitude, I would have resented my job. But, with Him on my side, I accepted these tasks as challenges and took on a "David vs. Goliath" attitude. This mindset works for me. Work is a gift and, with the proper attitude, can be very rewarding and enjoyable. Praise Jesus!

Boyce Moses

on 01/28/2023 at 02:22 PM

God blessed me with a job that I loved until the day I retired and led me to a part time job that is amazing and pays well. Because of the blessing I have received I can bless others. Love you Jesus! 💜💚💙❤️

Brandon Pembleton

on 01/28/2023 at 02:12 PM

I have been bored with my work for sometime. the boredom feeling drove a sense of apathy in my projects. it grew much worse when the company went through a restructuring in October. I had resentment on top of a bored feeling. It was making work rather miserable. my adhd was in overdrive and I know that's a defense mechanism - which for me looks like a whole lot of zoning out. I began praying and praying and praying some more God guide my career here or to the next role. Help me to get out of my own way. Help me commit to serving my teammates and company, amd truly commit to using all the minutes of the day. Let me see how my work is benefiting others by helping them connect virtually. I slowly began to notice I was working harder and harder each day. The fear and dread went away. The role I was so bored with began to become fun again. I am hungry once again like I haven't felt in a really long time to dig deep into new technologies and how to adapt them. To become a great manager of time and actually plan and most importantly follow through with them each day. To learn and grow. I forgot how much fun I can have and youthful it makes me feel to work as hard as I can. I find myself just chatting away with God too throughout my workday. It's so cool. I clearly wasn't giving God my work until now. I was hanging onto it. It's so amazing to be meek and surrender all things to God. I love my career again and I love you God, amen 🙏

Tim Debronsky

on 01/28/2023 at 01:56 PM

Amen Michael

michael f vinning

on 01/28/2023 at 12:56 PM

Jesus is the solution to everything. I believe it very much is that simple.

Charles

on 01/28/2023 at 12:44 PM

I “hated” my job and it filled me with anxiety. I felt stuck. However, when I expressed gratitude to the LORD through prayer for the positives of my job that I knew made it better for me than for many others, things began to change. The anxiety began to diminish and I was able to transfer to a similar job that included more of the things I Like and less of the things that caused me anxiety. I do not believe things would have changed if I stayed stuck in hate and misery.

Brian Thompson

on 01/28/2023 at 12:29 PM

I have struggled with work in the past as it can be an aggravation, when I am not focusing on the Lord and what he wants. I notice it seems many people who are not in Christ “hate” their work, they are miserable. Can it be that simple that focusing on Jesus can turn it all around? I really like this devotional today. Thank you!

Rick Ezell

on 01/28/2023 at 11:58 AM

Lord I agree with Robert’s prayer, amen.

Robert McFaddin

on 01/28/2023 at 11:23 AM

I pray that God will help me with my attitude toward my job. I ask Him to help me to let His love shine through me to the kids, coworkers, and families I encounter or may encounter daily.

28/365: Work Is a Gift

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