Did you know that the average person will spend an average of over 69,000 hours at work? That’s a substantial portion of one’s life, and yet many find themselves lacking happiness and purpose in it.

We get worn out by trials and boredom at work.

We feel little gratitude for what we do.

We hear people brag about things like vacations and retirement or talk about the importance and gratification out of ministry and missions. All this can leave us sitting at our desk questioning if what we do matters at all. However, providentially, the Bible doesn’t leave us alone in the dark with that question. In fact, the answers is on the very first page. Let Genesis 1 restore your viewpoint on your job, and make the most of your time on the clock.

As we see in Genesis 1:26, God created us in His image, “we are to have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth”. As Ian Hart puts it, “Exercising royal dominion over the earth as God’s representative is the basic purpose for which God created us. Humans are given authority over creation, responsible to God the ultimate king, and as such expected to manage and develop and care for creation, this task to include actual physical work.

“Our work in the image of God begins with us faithfully representing God.

As we exercise our authority over the created world, we do it knowing that we are the imaged of God. We are not God, but the image is which He created us, and our duty is to use this ability to perform with effectiveness. Our work is really meant to serve God’s purposes more than our own, which prevents us from domineering all that God has put under our control.”

Think about how we us this in our workplaces.

How would God go about doing our job?

What values would God bring to it?

What products would God make?

Which people would God serve?

What organizations would God build?

What standards would God use?

In what ways, as image-bearers of God, should our work display the God we represent?

When we finish a job, are the results such that we can say, “Thank you, God, for using me to accomplish this?”

God created people to have power. They were not created to escape or window-shop or play video games all day. People were made to work. Much misunderstanding on work exists because of confusion about what we are created to be and do. God makes sure we understand that work is a vital piece of who we are. When we find ourselves at work, whether 9-to-5, a nightshift, in a office cubicle or at home, we shouldn’t think we missed our purpose. We are actually doing what God created us to do!

Your work is a chance to imitate God by bringing goodness, order, light, and life into the lives of others. Notice that God’s work in creation doesn’t seem at all like drudgery. “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). When we see God’s purpose in our work then our attitude about our own work will reflect Him. Work can be a delight!

For more insight and understanding consider going to https://www.carlmathisbooks.com. A motivational speaker and author, Carl Mathis will empower you to overcome any obstacles in your life. His other works include the motivational book “Pursuing Your Purpose – How To Discover God’s Revelation For Your Life”