Value In Our Work

Work — it’s something we all do, whether it’s a career, a calling, or the unseen work of caring for family, serving others, or just keeping life running. But sometimes, work can feel ordinary or exhausting.

Ecclesiastes 3:13 reminds us that even the everyday tasks of life — the fruits of our labor — are actually gifts from God.

That means your work matters. It’s not just about a paycheck or productivity. It’s about partnership — you and God working together to bring something good into the world.

Whether you’re leading a business, teaching children, cleaning a kitchen, or managing a household, there’s value in what you do because God is in it.

When you see your work as worship, the ordinary becomes sacred.

So maybe the question isn’t, “Is what I do important?” but “Am I inviting God into it?”

Because when you do, even small tasks take on eternal meaning.

We work and work and work, and at some point, we hit a wall of fatigue.

We start to question why we are doing what we are doing. We wonder if there is something better out there for us, and we may even compare what we do and have to others because we have this feeling of exhaustion.

No matter what you do, you will get tired of it or want a break — and that’s fine. Take a break, but don’t decide about your job without consulting God. He was the one who opened the door for that job to begin with. He has placed you where you are for a reason.

So, when you are feeling that fatigue, go to God and let Him refill you and also give you some guidance and a new spark.

What you do has value, which is why we need to always be inviting God into our every day.

When I was a stay-at-home mom, I struggled to find the joy in what I was doing. I knew there was value, but some days the struggle was real.

I wanted to control everything that was happening, and when I just felt like I was losing that, the days seemed long and bad. But once God pointed out that I was the problem in this scenario and showed me my mistakes, things started to change.

Things that seemed so bad before didn’t seem so bad after all. This was because instead of trying to control and hold tight to my expectations, I learned that I needed to value each and every moment that I had with my kids because this was the ministry that God had given me, and my desire for everything to go a certain way was causing more harm than good.

Our want for control in our jobs can keep us from seeing God’s plan for us while we are where we are.

Let God guide you in your daily tasks.

Ever heard that saying that work doesn’t feel like work if you love what you do? That is correct to an extent, because I think even if you love what you do, there is that mundane feeling that can come into play. I love what I do, but some days there is just that feeling of, “Man, I would love just to take today off.”

Rest and a break are something we will naturally want, so if you ever feel guilty for not wanting to go and do a job you love, don’t.

You can still go and do that job and do it for the Lord but still feel like a break is needed.

God tells us to rest — that is because He knows that we aren’t machines that can push through, even if it is something we love doing. Jesus loved what He did, and He took breaks — and so can you.

We live in a culture that measures value by success — promotions, titles, or how busy we look. But God measures value by faithfulness.

Whatever your work looks like, it has worth because you’re doing it unto Him.

Colossians 3:23 says, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”

That changes everything, doesn’t it? When your heart is focused on pleasing God, no job is too small, and no effort goes unseen.

The hours you put in. The patience you show. The kindness you offer. Those things don’t just get you through the day — they honor God.

Ecclesiastes 3:13 (NLT): “And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.”

Work isn’t just about what you accomplish — it’s about who you’re becoming as you do it.

And in God’s eyes, that’s what gives it value.

Let’s look at this concept of working willingly at whatever you do through the eyes of Noah…

He was told by God to build a boat, which no one had seen as big as the one he was building — and all because rain was coming, which again, no one had ever seen.

He was called crazy and ridiculed for doing this thing God had called him to do.

Nothing stopped him from fulfilling this calling. He worked willingly to get it done in the time God had given him. He took value in his work, but his work was for the Lord.

Work can and will be a struggle, but when we have a heart and mindset like Noah, we will find that even though it is hard, there will be a reward at the end of it. That reward will be that you didn’t let anything stop you from working for the Lord, and with that, you will see the promise and blessing He has planned for you.

When we work, we need to work with integrity and the intentionality of being Christlike.

When we work with honesty and consistency, it is noticed. We don’t have to be loud and try to prove ourselves to others if we are walking every day in what God has for us. And that is exactly what we need to do in order to show that we value our work.

The best way for us to stay consistent in our jobs is to be accountable, honest, respectful, trustworthy, and dependable.

When we walk these out, we will be showing that we are of good character — and that character will be the character of Christ shining through us.

Maybe today you feel worn out, overlooked, or like your work doesn’t matter.

But God sees it all. He sees the late nights, the unseen sacrifices, the faithfulness when no one’s cheering you on.

And He calls it good.

When we shift our focus from “What am I getting out of this?” to “What is God doing through this?” everything changes.

The workplace becomes a mission field.

Tasks become opportunities to reflect His character.

And your effort becomes a testimony of His grace.

Work done with a pure heart — whether it’s building, serving, creating, or caring — becomes an act of worship.

And in that, there’s deep joy.

Ecclesiastes 3:13 (NLT): “And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.”

Our kids do online public school at home, so they are with us most of the time, and while I’m working, they often come into my office just to talk, and I was thinking about that and how blessed we are to have this time with them.

This made me think about the conversations that we all have at work, no matter what our jobs.

Those conversations that we have with coworkers can bring life and light. They can be encouraging, and they can help people feel seen and understood.

Those conversations are the opportunities that God gives us so that we can reflect His character.

As you have moments and conversations, keep in mind that God could be using you in those moments.

In college, I had a few jobs — none really full-time — so I was able to take on multiple. Some seemed so minuscule, but to this day, I remember so many of those interactions and people. It was in those tasks that I was able to really enjoy what I was doing because I was usually helping someone out. I can’t say for sure if I had any impact on those I was doing work for, but I know that for that short time, I learned that it didn’t matter what I was doing as long as I was doing it with a pure and thankful heart.

In our everyday goings, we should look at every opportunity as a way to serve the Lord. You never know who will need what you are able to give.

Be joyful in all things and know that the fruits of your labor are being seen by God.

As you go through your day, remember this: your value doesn’t come from your work — it comes through your work when it’s done for the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 3:13 reminds us that the ability to enjoy the fruits of our labor is a gift from God. That means every task — big or small — can be sacred when it’s offered to Him.

You don’t have to do something grand to make an impact. You just have to do what’s in front of you with love, integrity, and faith.

Because when your heart is in it, and God is over it, even ordinary work becomes extraordinary.