In You I Find Rest
Stop.
Take a deep breath. As you breathe in say, “You are my worth.” As you breathe out say, “In you I find rest.” Repeat as many times as you need.
Listen.
Moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him. – Ecclesiastes 3:13-14
Reflect.
Just the other day, I flipped through articles from the New York Times on my phone. One opinion article had a particularly provocative title: “You Won’t Find The Purpose Of Your Life At Work” (Jonathan Malesic, published 23 Sept 2021). It felt pretty pushy to me, especially since I’d spent my life absorbed by a particular kind of midwestern work ethic where your ability to work hard directly correlates to your worth as an individual and in society. But considering the author’s byline described him as a “writer and a former academic, sushi chef and parking lot attendant who holds a Ph.D. in religious studies”, I figured I’d give it a try.
The article quickly grabbed me. Some of it was due to the quotes from interviews that interspersed the article where readers vowed they would never return to long work commutes, workdays that kept them from their families for 11 hours a day, or evening work emails ever again. After 18 full months of pandemic-affected work life, many of those points resonated with me, too. But the author’s own words spoke to me, too:
[Work is] how we earn dignity: the right to count in society and enjoy its benefits. It’s how we prove our moral character. And it’s where we seek meaning and purpose, which many of us interpret in spiritual terms… But work often doesn’t live up to these ideals. In our dissent from this vision and our creation of a better one, we ought to begin with the idea that each one of us has dignity whether we work or not. Your job, or lack of one, doesn’t define your human worth.
Maybe part of the effect of this article came from its resonance in our Christian faith. While we can find many reminders in scripture that it’s important to do your work, serve your role, and not be intentionally idle, we also find an overarching narrative that values rest, places human worth over societal expectation, and sees each member of the body as high value no matter what role they serve.
God did not intend for us to define ourselves by our work. Our identity is in God, not the work we do. The work we so should reflect and support the holy life to which God calls us. As America goes through what many call “The Great Resignation”, seeing huge shifts in work priorities, we are invited to reconsider who God calls us to be. How will your work support the true and full life to which God calls you instead of restricting your life and faith?
Pray.
God, you have given me value as your child, just as I am. Help me to understand the gifts and talents you give me so I can use them well. But even more, help me understand the full and vibrant life to which you call me. Grant me grace to say no so that I can say yes to your gifts of rest, relationship, and renewal. Amen.
Carry On.
What’s one boundary you can put on your work life today to experience greater fullness in your faith life?