4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
Galatians 6:4-5
Dear God, I really need good work to do. I need to be productive. And when I say “need,” I don’t mean that others need me to be this way. I don’t mean that I need to get something done for the sake of the job getting done. I mean that my soul needs productivity. My soul needs to know that I worked and accomplished something. You created me for work, and I find that too much free time and lethargy is absolutely not healthy for me.
Case in point was earlier this week. I had a three-day weekend with the holiday Monday for MLK, but then I had a surprise snow-day on Tuesday. So I ended up with a four-day weekend and not much productive to do. It was a real struggle emotionally. I watched too many YouTube videos. I took a couple of naps. About the most productive thing I did was take the dog to the dog park to play.
After returning to work on Wednesday and getting back into the groove, my wife noticed the difference in me as soon as I got home that night. Even last night (Thursday) when I got home she said she could see the energy back in my eyes that was gone on Tuesday.
So all of this is to say that even on days when I don’t have my vocational work, I need to be intent on prayerfully figuring out what you would have me to do. Not that I don’t need a Sabbath and times of rest. But I proved that four days was too much rest. As Paul said in this passage to the Galatians, it’s about getting the satisfaction of a job well done. I don’t need to compare myself to anyone else. I just need to worship you through my work.
Father, I have work to do today. Help me to do it with great joy. Not trying to impress anyone, but just worshipping you with my work. Loving my neighbor as myself through my work. I love you, Lord. I know you love me and you have good work for me to do. I only get so many years here, and I’ve already used at least more than half of them. Maybe all of them for all I know. Help me to wisely use what I have left under your direction.
I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,
Amen
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