Hard work is pleasing to God.
This is the message that we read over and over again in the book of Ecclesiastes. In Ecclesiastes 5:12, for example, the author tells us that hard work is more satisfying than being rich. The rich never have enough; they are caught in the never-ending wheel of striving and gaining and winning that they can’t even sleep at night or find rest in their heart. The man or woman who works hard, honorably and contentedly, in contrast, can comfortably sleep in peace. They can do this because they know God is pleased with their work and they are content. Similarly, Ecclesiastes 9:10 tells us to work hard and enjoy our work. God is pleased with it, and he blesses our endeavors.
How liberating is that?!
Whatever job you have, know that if you do with well, if you work hard, are honest and content with your lot, God is pleased with you. Whether you are doing coding or construction, whether you work at a desk or in a classroom, or whether you work at home, caring for children or elderly parents, whatever you do, God is pleased with it when you do it well and give him glory.
In his speech, “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life” (1967), Martin Luther King Jr. spoke on the spirituality of hard work. He said:
“What I’m saying to you this morning, my friends, even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry; sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, “Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.” If you can’t be a pine on the top of a hill.Be a scrub in the valley—but be the best little scrub on the side of the hill, Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway just be a trail. If you can’t be the sun be a star; It isn’t by size that you win or fail—Be the best of whatever you are. And when you do this, when you do this, you’ve mastered the length of life.”
Now, I know some of y’all live with the burden that your work isn’t valuable or worthwhile. But it most certainly is. For God is pleased with it. Don’t think that you have to be a pastor to please God with your work. You don’t have to be making 100K for God to be pleased with your daily activities. No. God is pleased with your work simply if you are doing it well.
That’s what the Apostle Paul says in Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward.” This biblical truth supports the power and importance behind the spirituality of hard work.
God doesn’t look at work the same way man does. He doesn’t care about the income bracket, the fame or reputation, the kind of house you live in or the car you drive. We forget this at times, especially in our current Digital Age. Our “always-on” connection to the internet can lead us to mistake activity for productivity, the fatigue of being entertained with the fatigue of hard work, or the anxiety of information overload with the stress of taking responsibility.
Hard work is only a spiritual practice in that it has the possibility of leading to a life of spiritual fulfillment. Focusing on God, understanding our purpose, and seeing our daily work ethic as an expression of our faith is what being spiritual is all about. God cares about whether you are using your job and your work ethic to point to him. He cares about whether you spend time with your family and if you’re earnings are used to help and serve others. This is the impetus behind doing our work well and giving a 110% effort. It’s also the impetus for why we should be content.
This doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy our work or have fun. In fact, because our work and our resources are gifts from God, we should enjoy them. In Ecclesiastes 5:18 and 9:7, we see that our resources – our money, our food, our drinks – are a blessing. He has entrusted them to us. They are our lot, our portion.
We did very little work to receive our resources. Yes, we may have worked hard, but who gave you the job to work hard? Who gave you the education to get that job? Who gave you the energy to do well at your job? The answer: God! This is why we should never take our jobs for granted. They can easily be replaced at a moment’s notice.
This perspective can help us from becoming engulfed in the boredom of the moment or the tediousness of a task. God has deemed that we should enjoy our work and, more importantly, that we enjoy the benefits of work with our family and our friends. Whether the food is ramen or carne asada, let us delight in them individually and communally. Whether we are drinking water or wine, whether it is soda or tea, let us savor them together.
Ecclesiastes 4:8 states: “I saw a man who had no family, no son or brother. He always worked hard but was never satisfied with what he had. He never asked himself, “For whom am I working so hard? Why don’t I let myself enjoy life?” This also is very sad and useless.” I couldn’t agree more. It’s hard to enjoy something by ourselves. That is the lesson of Scrooge in Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. So, be grateful, enjoy the resources and food at your disposal, and show your gratitude to God by inviting others to enjoy it with you.
Hard work is a spiritual practice. And, when you work hard, know that you are working for God and He is pleased by it.
Whatever you are doing, do it well, give a 110% effort and then be content. Click To Tweet
