Taking Pleasure in Your Work is a Gift from God

“I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.” Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 ESV

My prayer for you today is that you take pleasure in what you do. A global workers life can be challenging, we expect to make sacrifices but I believe that God wants us to receive joy in what we do.

The word, pleasure, means receiving satisfaction from his labor. Even in the challenging times, challenging places, and challenging ministry we can receive joy in our work.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit develops joy in our hearts and it is based on your relationship with Jesus. Our circumstances can affect it. When we receive a bad medical report or when a loved one is hurting, it impacts us but even in the low times, even in your pain, joy can be present.

Life is never all up or all down. When someone ask me how I am doing, I usually think to myself, which part of my life. Currently there are some aspects of my life that are great. Cathy and I are experiencing a great season in our marriage. There are other parts of my life, I would change immediately. They are not great.

I have to reset my expectations. Life is never all good and life is rarely all bad. I can experience pain and joy at the same time.

Solomon taught that receiving pleasure out of your labor is a gift. Recently I have been praying “Father give me the gift of receiving pleasure in my work.” I pray the same prayer for you.