stephen R Harrison

JOY 365: Day 23

That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil. This is the gift of God. – Ecclesiastes 3:13

The snow is coming! I prepared for the coming snow today. A major blizzard is supposed to hit tomorrow, so I spent the day getting ready. I bought gas for the generator, propane for the heater, snow snacks, and made sure our water lines were protected from the 10° weather. My generator needed some maintenance, so that took a couple of hours. I knew it hadn’t been started in over a year, so I prepared myself and asked God for patience and joy before I worked on it. I cleaned the carburetor, changed the oil, and replaced the spark plug. I ended up sanding the rust off the flywheel and magneto. I finally got it started, but it still needed adjustments. I was getting frustrated.  The Spirit reminded me I had asked for joy in my work, so I took a break, got a snack, said a prayer, read some Scripture, and went back to work. I finally got it running smoothly and found satisfaction in my work. 

Solomon said satisfaction can come from our work. The NIV says we can “find satisfaction in all our toil” (Ecclesiastes 3:13). Work isn’t easy, and it can be frustrating and wearisome. However, we can find joy in it and in everyday, repetitive actions like eating, drinking, and laboring. The satisfaction of repairing a small engine is worth the effort. The result is potential power that can be used to heat our home and keep our food from spoiling in case of a power outage. When frustration mounts in the toil of the mundane, I often recite Colossians 3:23-24, which reminds me that any work I do is for the Lord. Work is worship. Worship invites joy with the Lord.

Are you seeking the joy of the Lord in all your work?