When Work Feels Like Work – Week One

If you took a tour of my home, you would notice I love books. You would also observe my ambition to read outpaces my actual reading, resulting in piles of books started or waiting to begin. One such book recently emerged and provided me with much food for thought, and I want to share some of my ponderings with you. Timothy Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf wrote Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work to address a Christian view of work and the transformative power of working from that foundation.

Why does this topic matter? Think about it this way – most of us spend a large percentage of our life working. Sometimes that work is exciting, energizing, and fulfilling. But other times, it can be more like drudgery. Not every day is a Mary Poppins kind of day when we reach in a bag and find everything we need, can fly, find adventure in everything, and sing like we are in a musical. Some days are more like the children’s book Alexander and the Horrible No Good, Very Bad Day. If you haven’t read it, Alexander is a little boy having one of those days – nothing goes right. He has to go to the dentist, gets gum stuck in his hair, and has to wear his least favorite pajamas. On and on the problems go.

When we have an Alexander type of day, when work is hard, we need to know why we are doing what we are doing. What drives our action? How do we make decisions? What are our limits? And how does the gospel impact all of this?

Keller says it this way, “If you get the story of the world wrong – if, for example, you see life here as mainly about self-actualization and self-fulfillment rather than the love of God – you will get your life responses wrong, including the way you go about your work.”

Work is more than something we should do or have to do. It is something we get to do. It is something that ties into our purpose as God’s children. But work is hard (it is work, after all).

So what do you believe about work? And how does that belief impact your action?

• Do you work for a paycheck, recognition, to impress God, or to serve?
• What impact does your work have? Is it only about today, or is it about eternity?
• Do you believe some types of work are more holy than others?
• Is work about the outcome of the process? Or both?

Over the next few weeks, we will explore what the Bible has to say about work. Our belief is important because it lays a foundation for our thinking, shapes our actions, and impacts the outcome of our lives. The first truth from Scripture I want to highlight is that work is not a result of sin; it is part of God’s original design. 

You don’t have to read far in the Bible to come across the subject of work. In Genesis chapter one, we see God working, creating the world. He labors for six days, looks at all He has made, and declares it very good. We also learn that God made humankind (us) in His image to rule and subdue the earth.

We cannot deny that if we keep reading Genesis chapter three, we see that Adam and Eve’s decision to sin made work a lot more complicated. But work pre-existed the fall. It is not something we have to do; it is something we are designed to do. Listen to how Keller puts it, “Work is as much a basic human need as food, beauty, rest, friendship, prayer, and sexuality; it is not simply medicine but food for our soul. Without meaningful work, we sense significant inner loss and emptiness.”

In a culture that values freedom and independence, one might think that life begins when work ends – if only I can get to retirement (or the weekend), if only I had the financial freedom to stop working, if I just had more free time. Yes, rest is essential and commanded by God, but it is always paired with work. And work consistently occupies the larger ratio.

Just like we cannot thrive without food and water, we cannot thrive without hard work. Work is part of being human, part of being designed in God’s image, and part of our call as Christians to reflect Jesus.

One of my favorite verses related to work is 1 Thessalonians 4:10-11 NASB, “But we urge your, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you.” Paul is challenging the early church to continue to grow in Christ, and he is clear that excelling includes putting one’s head down and working hard.

On those days (like Alexander’s) when everything seems to go wrong, we keep going. We don’t give up. We don’t quit. Why? Because our work has value, dignity, and purpose. It is a gift from God. Sure, we may need to make changes and adjustments or even find a new job – but our goal is not to be free from work. No, our goal is to reflect our God, who is a worker.

Remember, work is not a result of sin; it is part of God’s original design. Work is not something we have to do; it is something we get to do, something that sustains and fulfills us. Let’s embrace God’s gift.