My friends had just finished wrestling three young kids into bed (extra difficult with a special visitor in the house). They joined me in the living room, and my friend's husband smirked, "Got any good work stories like you did last time?" We laughed, remembering the side gig I had the last time I visited a few years earlier. I shared some stories about my job, and my friends listened, teared up, and laughed with me. 

My jobs have often been a source of joy and stories that I get to share with my family and friends. 

Do you secretly enjoy your work? Or openly enjoy your job? Do you feel some tug-of-war between your desire to be with your important people, and your desire to work hard or achieve a goal? Do you find yourself coming alive in a job or volunteer space? 

You are not alone. 

So why do we sometimes act like it's not okay to deeply enjoy our work? 

Grab your Bible or Bible app and open one of the first pages to Genesis 1. God created all the things, including humans. Then, "God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth" (Christian Standard Bible, Gen. 1:28). 

God was in the creating business. He was the ultimate entrepreneur. Imagine a proud father enjoying the perfection of his creation and looking at his image bearers saying what many parents have to say at some point... okay, it's time to get a job! 

They did. Adam tended the garden, and Eve was his helpmate. There was work before there was sin. Can you imagine? Work that is joyful and fun, in perfect relationship with God and others, and results that are not cursed? Wow. 

As a result of sin, the ground was cursed, and men's work became painful toil. For women, bearing children would now involve painful effort (Gen. 3:16-19). So we have never known work without sin, and we have never known work-life balance without selfishness, greed, and shame. It makes sense that work might get mixed reviews even if we like our current assignment. 

Do you struggle to enjoy the work you've been given - whether at home, at a job, or in some other capacity? I would love to share a reminder, an encouragement, and a challenge with you today. 

Reminder: There was work before there was sin.  

Sometimes we live like work is a side effect of sin, but the Biblical account shows that God invited Adam and Eve into creating value from the earth from their beginning. They had work that felt good and made things better. As humans reflect God, we cannot help but create and add value. We take supplies or materials, and we make new things. We use our gifts and talents and provide services that people are willing to pay for. We raise humans that are future contributing citizens as well. Work is not a result of sin, and enjoying work is not inherently sinful. 

Encouragement: "We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph. 2:10). 

You are crafted by God and have unique work to do on earth. You also fit into a broader community that is carrying out good works. No matter what work you do daily, thanks to God's sovereignty, you ARE doing the good works that God prepared especially for you. As you are going, meaning wherever you are going... you are to make disciples who follow Jesus (Matt. 28:18-19). The beauty is that you can do the 'good works' God prepared for you through various jobs, roles, and experiences! 

Challenge: Whatever you do, look for the joy in it!  

Tomorrow, you will have some work to do - at home, at a job, or in some sphere of your life. You could spend the day complaining about everything that goes wrong. You could focus on work that builds you up even if it tears others down. You could wish away your days wondering about the job you didn't get or the role you hope to have one day. But today, for this day, you have work to do. Whatever it is, "commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans" (Prov. 16:3). 

I am not saying that all work is life-giving, but when we approach work with the hope of seeing God work in and through us, we might be surprised at the joy we feel in creating value in the world.