Success is Rooted in Meaningful Work

The Critical Role of Work

God is good. I don't mean that He is simply nice or very holy or always right no matter what. It's true that God is very kind, always holy and pure in motive, and never wrong in His decision-making. But God is also truly good in that He always does what He does for our benefit -- for your benefit, and mine.

My point? We must never blame God for the unhappiness we bring into our own lives. He provides us with all the tools we need for basic happiness -- even in this world where things are never going to be perfect.

For example, He's given every human being a terrific brain. He's also given us physical bodies capable of interacting with the world around us. And He's give us deep-seated desires and abilities that literally drive us toward a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Granted, we may misuse our brain, training it to focus on useless things. And we don't always use our body as we should. Sometimes we focus on selfish and purely physical appetites instead of the deeper desires -- the drives placed in our hearts by the Creator. But none of this is God's fault.

So let's not blame God for misery we bring on ourselves. If we neglect the sound wisdom offered to us in the Bible (God's proven manual for both temporal and eternal success in life) then we only have ourselves to blame. If we waste our time, our abilities, our minds and bodies, then God is not to blame.

But why waste our time thinking about blame, anyway? Blaming does not move us any closer to happiness or solving any of the problems we may face in life. What we need is proper action that is rooted in correct thinking.

Are you unhappy with your life? Do you hate your job, your days of empty existence, your progress, so far, in life? Give some thought, then, to the critical role of work.

Work is Necessary

An important fact of life: Real and measurable success in life is rooted in meaningful work.

Too many of us think of work strictly as a means to a paycheck. We know that we need money in order to get along in life, and so we start looking for something we can do to get some money.

Such errors in our thinking often leads to many other mistakes, and to decades of misery, frustration and even crippling illnesses. We end up thinking that "the right thing to do" is always going to be less fulfilling and pleasurable than "what we really want" in life. This can result in a life of bitter determination to always do the right thing, no matter what. It can also lead to a life spent running from responsibility.

Work is Happiness

Work is central to human happiness. Human beings must work in order to be satisfied with life. We must do productive and meaningful things with our time, our hands, our minds, our hearts. We must have a reason to get up every day.

We must turn our thinking around. We can start by asking simple questions — questions that may actually change our entire lives.

Am I doing something meaningful with my days? Is the work that I'm doing ethical, morally worthwhile — the right thing to do? Why do I do the kind of work I do? Is there something I could be doing that would be closer to who and what I really am inside?

Work is Life

In every human society the people must serve a function. In most cases, that function includes some kind of physical and/or mental labor. We may wash clothes for a living, or sing songs, or try to educate children. And in just about every kind of human society, some jobs are valued above other jobs, and that value may not be logical or even right.

Most of the jobs that need doing are easily classified as ethically and morally positive. We feed people. We help to provide them with clothing. We paint their houses or offices. We help to organize and administer local or regional government. We help to maintain the safety and freedom of our community or nation.

Work is an Expression

But what does the work we do say about us as people? If I fry burgers all day in order to pay for a small apartment, does that say something about me? What if I fly commercial jets or drive a bus or own a taxi? Or what if I help to run a large bank, turning farmers and other small business owners away all day — men and women who are struggling to make ends meet?

I'm not going to tell you what kind of work you should be doing. Only God can do that as you make your way through life, seeking His direction and help. But I will tell you that you may have more options that you think.

What Would You Do?

Here's a couple more questions to ponder:
1. If income (and survival) was not an issue, what kind of work would you choose to do?
2. Time passes quickly. In ten years, what kind of work do you hope to be doing?
3. What can you do today that will help you reach whatever you answered for questions one and/or two?

Spend some time on these questions. Don't stop thinking about them until you have solid (practical) answers to all three of them.

God bless you as you move forward in life.


©2006 Jim Sutton