Signpost - Every Good Endeavour

“When we think, ‘I hate work!’ we should remember that, despite the fact that work can be a particularly potent reminder (and even amplifier) of the curse of sin on all things, it is not itself a curse. We were built for it and freed by it.”

Each of us has had particular moments or seasons where work has been life-giving. These times where work felt like a perfect fit - like we were built for it. Not simply work in general, but even roles, projects, teams or organisations we’ve engaged with that just feel like a great match. In these experiences we can heartily affirm the goodness of work as part of God’s plan for us as His stewards.

And then there are other times. Those moments where, perhaps, the specifics of your work or just work in general feels so strained, too taxing, or just futile.

Q. How might we resource ourselves in the times when the curse of sin and the effect of the fall are so apparent in our work?

Q. What can reorient us to see afresh the goodness of work and how to be obedient and faithful to the work to which God has called us?

In his book, Every Good Endeavour: connecting your work to God’s plan for the world, Tim Keller reminds readers of the following, which is helpful here:

When your heart comes to hope in Christ and the future world He has guaranteed—when you are carrying his easy yoke—you finally have the power to work with a free heart. You can accept gladly whatever level of success and accomplishment God gives you in your vocation, because He has called you to it. You can work with passion and rest, knowing that ultimately the deepest desires of your heart—including your specific aspirations for your earthly work—will be fulfilled when you reach your true country, the new heavens and new earth.

If you are interested in exploring this topic further, this panel discussion from a Gospel Coalition conference on ‘Redefining Work’ may be of interest. You can access the video via the link below.