Satisfying Work

I'm sitting on the floor upstairs-eating cheerios, listening to Bella's Lullaby, the rattle of the fan, and the sound of Caleb cooing as he naps-and I am content. This morning, my devotional was about satisfying work, and how more than 80% of people are dissatisfied with their careers. As I watch this precious baby swing back and forth in his rocker, I realize again how blessed I am to spend my days doing something so satisfying to me. I don't make a lot of money, and I sometimes work long sleepy hours, but in turn I am helping my cousins, and have the opportunity to watch this little boy grow up a little more every week. I am truly so thankful for the days I spend here, and I'm quite certain that I would not be motivated to wake up at five or six every morning to drive across town and start my day unless I were doing something that I cared about. And I do care, very much, about the sleeping baby next to me and his parents who work so hard to give him all that they know how.

So the truth is, it's really not hard for me to be motivated to work; it doesn't even feel like work most of the time. And as you well know, if we don't find meaning in our jobs, we find motivation difficult. 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. But for some of us, most of us even, it's not that easy. Ephesians tells us to work "as if you were serving the Lord, not men." If we who love Jesus have it firmly fixed in our minds that our labor somehow honors Him, then we will be motivated and find contentment wherever our circumstances place us.

That is my prayer for you today: that you would find contentment wherever you are, and to honor the Lord in your labor.

I know, I'm lucky.