Occupied with joy (in the workplace)

First things first, find your joy in Him. 

“Behold, 

what I have seen to be good and fitting 

is to eat and drink and find enjoyment 

in all the toil 

with which one toils under the sun 

the few days of his life 

that God has given him, 

for this is his lot. 

Everyone also to whom God has given 

wealth and possessions and power 

to enjoy them, 

and to accept his lot 

and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. 

For he will not much remember 

the days of his life 

because God keeps him 

Occupied with joy in his heart.”

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Upon deeper reflection in prayer, I think that I considered work to be my value or my status.  Looking back I don't want to think about work because my work back then was not anything that brought me value or status.  My work back then was miserable and mundane because it wasn't where I wanted to be.

I wanted to disassociate  myself from my past jobs because to me they were not up to par.  While my standards were looming ahead I had very little room to enjoy my work.  It was joyless toiling, and it led me to breakdown and ask God what it was that my standard would give me?  I ended up seeing rags.  What appeared so desirable was exposed as dirty rags because even if I got the life I wanted, I would still be me on the inside.

I associate work with worth and the more satisfied I am with my work the more I feel valued.  If my work is meaningful I believe that makes me meaningful.  If my work sucks, that means I suck.  Rather than being occupied by joy I'm occupied by fear, fear of losing more and more of my value as time passes.  Or that my value is always at risk, depending on the task at hand, giving rise to much anxiety

The Spirit showed me this false belief.  My value is not dependent on my work, but rather work is meant to bring me joy alongside the value that Christ has given me.  That each piece of work is part of the many colors that paint the portrait of the Father's good love. 



...but then I think well what if I lose everything?  And the joy is sucked out of every good thing I have: money, a roof over my head, good food, family, clothes--all of that become "at-risk."  Things that are made to bring me joy and keep me occupied with joy are bringing me anxiety, fear and a sense of worthlessness.  Keeping me occupied with anxiety! 

So what can be done about this?

I think the revelation of this passage is in all the portions I underlined.  To be busy with joy!  To chase and seek after joy in all things.  I sometimes feel guilty or wrong to enjoy certain things I have (like money that I didn't necessarily work for, expensive food, new clothes, etc)  and I can't enjoy them because I feel like I don't deserve to enjoy them or that if I enjoy them it would be wrong.  However, clearly this passage is a reminder that everything is a gift from God, whether we worked for it or not!  Because in the end it is God who occupies us with joy in our hearts through it all.  So why spend another moment in anything but the truth that what we have now is made to bring us joy! Yes we toil and we work, but God knows what each of us needs, and He continues to send us gifts to occupy us with joy.  So find what you enjoy most, stop comparing your gifts to someone else's and live joyfully! 

I'm talking most acutely about your work, your vocation, your job, your career.  Stop chasing after some kind of status, money or value in your work, because eventually one day all of that will be in the dead past.  Instead may God occupy you with joy in your work!  We only have so many days to live until we meet God face to face, and if we can live now as recipients of His gifts and steward them with joy then it might show us ready to enjoy the greatest gift of all: Him.  

Jmegrey