“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” – Colossians 3:23
More than half of all U.S. workers are dissatisfied with their jobs. That’s the conclusion of a recent Conference Board survey. And which aspect of their work do you think people are most unhappy about? You guessed it. Some 64 percent said they are unhappy with their pay.
We would be wise to remember the words from Luke 3:14: “Be content with your wages.” After all, if God is truly our employer, when we grumble about our pay we are grumbling about God’s provision. The best way to maximize our pay is to stay focused on working with all our heart—keeping our skills up to date, doing our work with excellence and integrity, and focusing on our impact instead of the hours we put in.
The Conference Board survey also brought to mind a challenging point made by Gary Thomas in his book, Sacred Marriage: “Marriage is not for our happiness, but for our holiness.” Couldn’t the same be said for our work? Could it be that God intends to use our work circumstances to mold our character? Could any tinges of dissatisfaction we’re experiencing be for the purpose of building patience, perseverance, and a stronger prayer life?
That’s not to say we are required to stay where we are. It’s good stewardship of our talents when we are proactive about enhancing them, and when we prayerfully seek the best fit for our abilities and passions. In the meantime, we would do well to heed the call to “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Gratitude for our job is an important part of what it means to work “as working for the Lord.”
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