When There’s a Hole in Your Soul - Work Could Be Eating You Whole (Part Deux)

When There’s a Hole in Your Soul - Work Could Be Eating You Whole (Part Deux)

ON THE FLIP SIDE of making an impact is total boredom. Are you bored? often restless? mostly frustrated? even a bit sad?

You must be engaged in your job, the company, or the outcome of the work process. When you are fully engaged in your job, you’re productive and content. When you’re engaged with your company, you feel like you’re part of a team. And when you’re engaged with the outcome of the work, you know you contribute to something greater than yourself. If you’re not engaged in any of these areas, you might consider choosing another line of work. Yes! You can choose! Don’t you just love living in America? I am amazed by the number of people who complain for years on end about their work or company but do nothing about it, draining the energy of those around them.

In his book Artful Work, Dick Richards says: “The degree to which we seek joy within our work is the degree to which we invite artfulness. We deserve joy, every one of us, but we don’t expect or seek joy in our work when we believe the reward for work lies in approval, external rewards, and celebrations.”^a

The days of working thirty years at the same company are over. You probably won’t be getting a gold watch or company appreciation retirement party. Nor will your mug shine brightly in the People section of your hometown newspaper. The celebration, however, should still happen—but it should be internal, for a job well done, for success in meeting a goal, for overcoming incredible odds. The party that happens in your heart will result from knowing you have done a good job—for him.

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:17)

Girlfriends, one way that the hole in your soul is filled is by the sense of accomplishment you gain when you know you’re doing what you were uniquely gifted to do. There’s neither a big enough paycheck nor enough stock options in the world to compensate for anything less. The choice is yours.

^a Dick Richards, Artful Work (San Francisco: Barrett-Koehler Publishers, 1995), 38.