By: Hugh Whelchel, originally posted on July 2, 2015.
You wake up in the morning hoping your actions will have purpose.
You want the work you do during the day to be affirmed, to be directed towards a meaningful end, and to have an impact on the lives of those around you.
You want to lie down at night and feel satisfied, content that the work you did was your very best and made a difference in the grand scheme of things.
You want the peace of mind, the satisfaction that comes with living out your purpose in the world.
You want fulfillment.
And you know what? You can find it. Everyone can.
Each person is created in God’s image, and like him, has the desire – and the ability – to be creative and find fulfillment using their God-given talents.
You can find fulfillment in many ways, by knowing your place and purpose in your community, your family, your church, and especially in work.
You can find fulfillment by living into who God created you to be, and doing what he created you to do.
In short, you find fulfillment when you discover and carry out your calling. This fulfillment finds expression in many ways – in serving your community, church, and family. In these places, you can make contributions that have eternal significance.
Work especially is an area where you can find fulfillment. Your daily work provides you with the challenges and opportunities to serve God and others. In fact, it’s the best way to serve others. And service is key – ultimately, work isn’t just about your personal fulfillment. It’s about serving your neighbors and even complete strangers by using your God-given gifts, talents, and resources to help meet their needs. Your service gives people a glimpse of how things will be when Christ returns and restores creation in full.
There are, of course, times when work may be difficult. Some days you feel the “thorns and thistles,” the stress, the burden of your responsibilities more than others. Through it all, work remains a formative activity for finding fulfillment by teaching us about God and ourselves.
Fulfillment can be found in whatever work God places in front of you, regardless of whether it’s your dream job or not. When we work hard everyday at the work God has given us, it’s pleasing to him and way more fulfilling for us.
Ultimately, fulfillment is not found in our circumstances, but in the actions – and attitudes we take towards our work, family, church, and community each and everyday. It’s found in working diligently to glorify God, serve the common good, and advance the kingdom of God in all that we do.
This article is reprinted with permission from the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics (www.tifwe.org). The original article appears here.IFWE is a Christian research organization committed to advancing biblical and economic principles that help individuals find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society. Visit https://tifwe.org/subscribeto subscribe to the free IFWE Blog.