When There’s A Hole In Your Soul - Work Could Be Eating You Whole

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

WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT to filling the hole in our soul. Regardless of what our work is or where it is, it is critical that we hone our gifts in order to find true harmony within ourselves. There is a tremendous pressure on us all—men and women alike—to just do the work and get over it. For one reason or another, many of us are in roles that don’t match our talents.

I know many stay-at-home moms who are so gifted, so perfectly poised for their role, that they should be on the cover of Parenting magazine. I know others who are not. I believe that if you get up each morning dreading the minute you must start your workday (whether at home or a workplace), it will absolutely eat a hole in your soul. I know this personally.

I once had a job that left me physically ill every Sunday evening as I anticipated walking back into the environment come Monday morning. Girlfriends, this type of disconnect with work affects both our health and our family dynamic.

I think work eats us whole, first, when we feel unproductive. We were not put on this earth to be slugs or to fight an unending political battle that results in negligible progress. We were put here to accomplish stuff! to engage! to commit! to impact! Don’t you just love when, at the end of the day, you can say to yourself, Wow! That was fun! I moved the needle. I used my talents. I was 100 percent on! Yes, we were designed to be productive. When we’re not—when we’re not engaged with our work or our workplace—it eats us whole.

Second, if our value system is at odds with our work, we will slowly begin to disappear—mentally, emotionally, and physically. It’s easy to comprehend this when we’re talking about ethics and moral issues. It’s a bit more complex if we are trying to find lasting meaning pushing papers around for eight to ten hours a day. All work is important—especially if it is work we were uniquely created to do.

The questions to ask yourself are: Does my job, output, or company align with my value system? Do I know I make a difference, and is that difference important to me as an individual (not as an employee)?

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11)

Are you using your gifts? Are you committed? Are you making an impact? If not, what are you waiting for?