"All to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil - this is the gift from God." Ecclesiastes 5:19
Isn’t it amazing how God calls and equips people for their various vocational tasks. Walk through a nursing home and watch devoted nurses caring for elderly persons who no longer have their rational capacities. I wonder how they can do it, but I see that they are fulfilled in their work. That's a gift of God. Watch roofing and highway construction personnel pouring hot tar on days when the temperature is above 100 degrees. Most of these construction workers seem oblivious to the harsh conditions; lots of them sing a country song as they work. The majority actually like their jobs. Of course, some people regard my profession as one they would never be able to do. And when I tell them how amazing it is to me that I actually get paid to do what I always wanted to do anyway, they look at me as if I have been in the sun too long!
John LaBissoniere, a minister in Tennessee, tells this story:
"It was a beautiful late summer afternoon in 1960 and my dad had just returned home from work with a recent issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Opening the magazine he said, 'John, take a look at this.' He then pointed to an advertisement showing a photo of a shiny, new bicycle. The caption read, 'Sell just ten subscriptions to The Saturday Evening Post and receive this beautiful bicycle!' Dad then said, 'John, this would be a great opportunity. I'm sure you could sell these subscriptions.' During the succeeding days I spent hours canvassing in our neighborhood and beyond in a search for potential subscribers. With my dad's help I was finally able to earn my new bicycle. From that experience as an 11-year-old boy, I found that much fulfillment came from working hard to accomplish a goal. Even so, there were important things I didn't yet understand about work, including just why is work so important and for whom are we really working. The bicycle I worked to obtain helped me discover a lot about myself and what it would take to be successful later in the adult world of employment."
How about you? What valuable work experiences and habits have you developed?
Job satisfaction is a gift from God. God wants everybody to enjoy his or her vocation. If you don't have job satisfaction, analyze the reasons. Is it because of your working conditions? Do you lack respect for the management? Do you doubt if you company's products or services are good for society? Or, do you have a basic incompatibility with the job itself? God may be urging you to look around and find another opportunity more in keeping with His gifts to you. The average American worker changes jobs seven times during his or her career. Don't quit your present job before you find a new job, but by all means search.
The Lord wants us to look forward to going to work most mornings and to feel fulfilled at the end of most work days. Be thankful for the work He has provided.
Scripture to Claim:
Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. Colossians 3:23-24
