“Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men.” Colossians 3:23
Do you ever wake up in the morning and groan just thinking about going to work? According to a 2022 Gallup poll, job unhappiness is at a staggering all-time high. Sixty percent of people reported being emotionally detached at work and 19% as being miserable. Only 33% reported feeling engaged — and that is even lower than 2020. In the U.S. specifically, 50% of workers reported feeling stressed at their jobs on a daily basis, 41% as being worried, 22% as sad, and 18% angry (1)
Sad, isn’t it? Few individuals actually love what they do. And I am sorry if you are one of those people who dread going to work. I get it. It’s hard to find purpose when all you do all day long is press buttons, scan groceries, enter mind-numbing data, or retrieve carts from the store’s parking lot for eight hours in the rain.
The problem is that most people perceive their jobs as a means to be a ‘productive’ member of society and pay their bills. What we need is a shift, a proper perspective.
What if, instead of seeing my job as drudgery, I view it as an opportunity to be a light? Suddenly, it’s no longer just a job – it’s a mission field. My ‘workplace’ is not as much about toil as soil – the place where God planted me for a season and for a reason.
When I grasp the truth that there is purpose in my earthly work, I am able to find meaning and joy in whatever God has assigned me to do. He gives purpose to the mundane and a fresh perspective on the daily grind. Pushing carts is no longer my main purpose. Being a light, encouraging others, and spreading joy become my new focus.
A word of caution is needed here. Most employers will not permit ‘religious talk’ on their premises, especially during work hours. Be careful how you handle this. Begin by simply striking up friendships. Smile. Offer a word of encouragement. Then follow up with an invitation to have coffee after work. From there, you can talk about what Jesus has done in your life and invite them to church.
My friends, it’s about perspective. Your calling in life is more than just being a cashier, a cart pusher, a secretary, or whatever it is you do for a living. Your calling is to be Jesus wherever God places you for a season.
To answer Solomon’s question, “What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3), I would respond with Paul’s words, “Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men.” Therein is the purpose of our toil.
- https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=gallup_access_branded&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw54iXBhCXARIsADWpsG-dvSXXa2CHuDpQAysF3ES20y1fYBEQb3EycTtImjIUtnsDfi7I5lYaAsPtEALw_wcB