Does It Really Matter if You Love Your Job?
A lot of people say it doesn’t matter much if you love your job. If you do, that’s great — it’s a bonus. But the main purpose of a job is to put food on the table, and actually liking what you do is secondary.
This is actually bad advice. There are lots of reasons, but let me mention just one: if you don’t love your job, you risk being a poor steward.
I’m not talking here about people who have no choice in the matter. In the NT exhortations on work, slaves are the best example here. A slave had little or no control over his work, and Paul said “don’t worry about it — you are serving the Lord in what you do, and he values it and will reward you” (see 1 Corinthians 7:21; Colossians 3:23-24).
But we aren’t slaves, and we do have a choice in our work. This increases our responsibility to choose wisely. And it that choice in what we do for our work is a stewardship.
And here’s how that relates to why you should do your best to seek out a job you love (or, sometimes better, turn your job in to something you love most of the time): you will be more effective in your job if you love it.
We can, of course, work hard in jobs that we don’t love. But the extra effort, the mastery that takes us above and beyond and makes us maximally effective, is fueled by enthusiasm. To the extent that you lack this enthusiasm for the activities of your work, you will be less effective. You will not be able to stretch and push yourself and grow in your knowledge and skill as highly as you could otherwise.
Which means you will not be contributing as much as you could. Which is another way of saying: you won’t be making the difference you could and serving others to the extent that, perhaps, is truly needed. You will be leaving things on the table — things that could have benefited others, and wouldn’t have necessarily required much more from you because, after all, you have to work anyway.
I don’t necessarily want to say here that it is wrong to settle for a job you don’t love. But I do want point out that finding a job you love is not ultimately a matter of serving yourself. It’s a matter of serving others, because you will be more effective for the sake of others if, most of the time, your job is something you love.
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About Matt Perman
Follower of Christ. Husband of one, father of three. Former director of strategy at Desiring God. This blog exists to help equip Christians in good works, because that's what productivity is really about.
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Thank you for this. I feel like I’m living proof of this as a negative example. It helps as I counsel younger people about potentially going into the same field I’m in.
I think this is good advice. I think many are reacting to those who have to work at a job they love but they go overboard. I guess what I mean is that the main purpose in work is not to find a job you love. But for some it is. And that is not right.
This is a really interesting point. At first, our knee-jerk reaction is to deny our fleshly desires such as finding a cushy job that we enjoy. But I love it how you go full circle: When our minds are being renewed and our intentions being redeemed, then finding a job we love can actually be the most Godly thing to do.
I think so many of your blog posts do this – they go that “full circle” if you know what I mean. Really good thoughts…
What timing. Praise God. Thank you for this post. My wife and I were discussing this very topic last night. My position at the ministry I am serving is being eliminated, but it also was not a good fit for me. Now, the question I ask as a husband and father, “do I hold out for a job that is well-suited for me where I will thrive & succeed, or take the first job that comes because we need the money.” We pray for wisdom each day!
A few points to balance out otherwise good advice . . .
1. Slaves were quite common in NT times, with a majority of the population being a slave of some sort (there were different types).
2. I’ve worked in retail, the restaurant business, and data entry. There are millions of people in America alone that will never be able to choose a job they love. Limited by education, lack of money to further their education, and other factors all contribute to where people end up working.
This is a complicated question for people of faith and requires a level of discernment that is frequently ignored in such conversations. I contend that a person of faith who is following the leading of the Holy Spirit into the service into which they are called will “love” any job that dovetails with the will of God. The apostle Paul is a wonderful example of this as he was joyous in his calling even when he was beaten and imprisoned…things I am sure he did not “love” to endure. When did we come to believe that our greatest service to God would begin with our greatest personal fulfillment? That is, I believe, putting the cart before the horse. Far more likely that we find ourselves in places we do not like, doing things we do not like and become people who are not only content, but grateful for the opportunity to be molded to them as only God can do.
Some statistics claim that as many as 2/5 college students today are over 25. I think we need to be careful in encouraging people to chase the lie that our purpose and fulfillment in this life are wrapped up in career/work/position. Our purpose is NOT found in what we do, but HOW we do what we are doing. We render our service with a good will as to the Lord. Our jobs are not ultimately for our joy but they are for God’s glory and when we find our purpose in glorifying God through our job, that job will bring us joy. Maybe a new job is not the answer, maybe a new perspective is. Bloom where you are planted. Don’t waste your job!
I seriously dislike my job! But I ended up in a situation where I was unemployed for a year. I have a family of 6 including me, where my oldest is 9 and my you gets is 1. My back ground is white collar and full-time ministry. I live in a blue collar context. So I worked in concrete, let’s just say that it’s not the most physically friendly job out there – wow! But I try to live by the gospel and thus believe that God had me there for a purpose and so I did it. Work hard, shut up and put up. And share the love of Jesus every chance you get.
After that the contract was over and once more no work. So I looked around and thought what is the best way to get a job quickly so I can support my family and leave from under the roof of my in-laws, where we all lived in one room. Welding came up. But I had no clue about welding. So I found out a local College had a summer course. God provided the $$ and to welding school I went only 2 months. Did one class in the a.m and one in the p.m and sleep on a bench in between.
Got a job afterward at a boat building company. Here I am almost 3 yrs employed and can’t stand my job. My body is broken, my back hurts, physical therapy. However, I believe God has me here. I work hard, pay attention to detail and strive to put out quality work, my work ethic is high because I work u to my Lord. I fail, I mess up, and at times complain, however with the gospel of Jesus on my mind He brings me through the day, showing me my continuous need for Himself and His mercy and grace! I share the gospel every chance I get and live a Missional life. If I could leave my job right now I would in a heart beat. But, I’m not there for me (though I’m growing), I’m there to share hope with the lost, with the guys who live on porn on the job, who drink themselves to pieces every weekend, who smoke more weed that Cheech and Chong combined to drown out all their problems and past hurts and failures.
I strive to excel at what I do, I am innovative regarding what I do and come up with better and new ways to work more efficiently all the time. Since I started I have gone from doing the grunt work to welding the ‘show’ pieces and structurally important pieces. Not to blow myself up, because frankly I know it’s all by Gods grace. But I just can’t stand my job, However, it put food on the table, pays the rent, allows me to be among people who need to hear the gospel of freedom, of the forgiveness of sins, the gospel of hope. And in the midst of it all I know God is chiseling away at me as well.
It’s nice to have a nice job et all like you described, but the fact is that it’s not just e everyone’s reality. If we live in light of the gospel we should perform well in any job situation because we work unto one person, Jesus. This doesn’t guarantee perfection since we are all sinners but it does make it possible for us all to shine in the work place no matter where God leads you. And sometimes He will lead you down a hard road, no biggie as long as He is with you.
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What was wrong with my post? why wasn’t it approved? Did I say something wrong?
Sorry about that–it actually got caught in the spam filter for some reason, and I didn’t see that until now. It’s up now–and thanks for commenting!