Bible Reading: Genesis 2:4-17 & Ecclesiastes 4:4-6
Genesis 2:15 says, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” When God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam a job. God created people to work.
Work should be creative. It should be fulfilling. It should have a purpose. It should also have a boundaries and an end.
In Ecclesiastes 4:6 Solomon said, “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” It is good to work. It is good to work hard.
However, it is a waste to work so hard that you can no longer experience peace and contentment. Struggling and striving excessively for earthly things, is not the kind of work God planned for people to do. When you let the chase for more money, more things, more recognition, or any other elusive “prize” steal your tranquility and peace of mind, God’s good plan turns bad. Work becomes Satan’s tool. He uses it to distract you from God, God’s true plan for your life, and the “peace that passes understanding” that God wants you to have. It becomes as unproductive as chasing after the wind. It leaves you feeling empty, discontent, and dissatisfied.
I hope you work hard at the job God has given you to do.
I also hope you avoid chasing after the wind by keeping your focus on God and not things that are temporary and offer no real satisfaction.
“And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:4
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to work hard to please you instead of chasing the wind by working for temporary, meaningless things. In Jesus’ name. Amen.