Monday was Labor Day in the United States, a day to honor American workers. If you have a job, I encourage you to take time today to thank God specifically for your job. Here’s why:
- Others have no job. All of us know that’s the case, but we seldom think about it. If we’re employed, it’s easy to forget that somebody else has been looking for a job without success for some time. Even the most basic, unfulfilling job is better than no job at all.
- Your job is your mission field. You are not doing what you do by accident. God gives us jobs so that we can be a witness wherever He places us. In some cases, you may be the only believer in a company of non-believers – not unlike an overseas missionary.
- Your job gives you opportunity to pray for others. Don’t miss that opportunity. Keep your ears open for painful life situations and prayer needs of those who work with you. You may be the only person praying for your co-workers, even in America.
- You apparently have sufficient health to work your job. That doesn’t mean that you have no health issues, of course. You may still struggle doing all your job entails, but I’m assuming your health still allows you to work (and even some who have bad health still have an employer who covers salary and insurance). That’s God’s blessing.
- God uses your job to make you holy. That’s especially the case when you’re in a job you really don’t enjoy. There, you’re often forced to learn to be content wherever you are, trusting that God will use you as a witness for Him as long as you’re there. You’ll learn to experience and portray joy despite your circumstances.
- God may be using your current job to get you ready for something else. He knows your future, and He wants to use you for your good, His glory, and the spread of the gospel. No matter what you’re facing in today’s job, God’s up to something. For some of you, God might even by showing you by your dislike of your job that He is calling you to ministry . . . .
- Your job gives you opportunity to teach your children and grandchildren about hard work. My parents were not believers as I was growing up, but they taught me the necessity of working hard to gain a paycheck. That life lesson, I think, has paid off over the years.
- Your job provides funding for your church to do its ministry. This point assumes, of course, that you support your church sacrificially and cheerfully. If you do, you know the blessings of being able to support God’s work. If you don’t, I caution you about accepting God’s blessing of work without willingly giving back to His work.
What other reasons would you add to this list? If you’re struggling in your job today and want us to pray for you, let us know.
