Satisfying Work

Read: Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:13

IN WORD Recent surveys indicate unprecedented dissatisfaction with work. As many as 80 percent of employees at any given time are looking for a new job. Why? Maybe they need more money, or perhaps they don’t like the location, their coworkers, or their bosses. For most, however, the discontent isn’t a matter of location or benefits. It is a matter of meaning. If we don’t find meaning in our jobs, we find motivation difficult. Lack of motivation gets us behind in our work, which leads to stress, which leads to less motivation. It’s a vicious cycle.

God created work. Somehow, we got the impression that it’s a result of Adam and Eve’s sin, but God had the couple tending the Garden of Eden long before they were tempted and cast out. Work became more difficult, but work had already been ordained. God means for His people to be productive and to enjoy the fruits of their labor. He wants us to be content in what we do, whether it’s at home with children, in an office with coworkers, or elsewhere.

IN DEED Even when we know God’s plan, we often miss out on His ultimate purposes. The surveys that indicate massive job dissatisfaction invariably have Christians among their respondents. Believers can be as dissatisfied as the secular world.

How can we be more content in our work? There are two simple steps to meaningful labor. (1) Ephesians tells us to work “as if you were serving the Lord, not men” (6:7). If we who love Jesus have it firmly fixed in our minds that our labor somehow honors Him, we will be more interested in our labor. (2) We can pray. It’s acceptable to pray for a new job or role, but it’s even better to ask God to build meaning into your current work until His timing for something new is right. He can show you how your work relationships honor Him, or how your godly service reflects His character. That sort of satisfaction is a gift God longs to give.

God’s greatest gifts come through travail.

—F. B. MEYER