“For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His” (Heb. 4:10, NKJV).
How is your job going for you lately? I was just talking to a sister the other day about the lamentable fact that so many individuals hold a strong aversion for their occupations. Far too often, work is experienced as a depressing burden.
Sadly, this is simply a fulfillment of the heavy consequences of sin God announced when our race exited Eden: “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life” (Gen. 3:17, NIV). Painful toil. When our employment feels like distressing drudgery, we are living under Adam’s curse.
The beautiful news is, Jesus became a curse to set us free from the wages of humanity’s sin: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’ (Gal. 3:13, NIV). Guess what… this provision includes the curse of painful toil! Because of His sacrifice, we don’t have to live that way anymore. He shed His precious blood to break the power of every curse.
When we come to Jesus, we find rest for our souls. When we unite ourselves to Him, His strength becomes our own. When we develop a lifestyle of intimacy with Him, we can cease from painful toil. The delight of our love relationship with Him will invade every inch of our inner space and our daily routines.
When we take His yoke upon us and learn from Him, even heavy lifting will become restful. When we are full of His Holy Spirit, even cleaning toilets will become a profoundly joyful activity. His manifest presence transforms the most mundane responsibilites into beautiful opportunities to partner with Him.
Jesus wants to turn our daily duties into a delight!
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Have you experienced the delight of partnering with Jesus in mundane responsibilities?
Feeding On Jesus 
thanks for this post. I need to read something like this
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You are welcome, Marcelo! I’m so glad it encouraged you. 🙂
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Jennifer, this is beautiful. When we have intimacy with Jesus, every moment becomes beautiful, and as those moments add up, we become increasingly joyful.God is the great ” I AM”, the God of the “now”.
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I really like how you explained that, Sally. So beautifully true! Thank you 🙂 ❤
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As a stay at home mom, I can get depressed and discouraged with my work from time to time. This is when I need to draw nearer to Jesus…He does encourage me, every time!
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Amen! He is so beautiful in His faithful encouragement of us, isn’t He? Thank you, Lisa 🙂
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Jennifer, I have addressed the matter of “work” before the Lord many times in the past 50+ years of laboring. I have found that delighting in that which I believe is from God far exceeds the “pain” of the task. I continue saying and believing that ALL things are allowed or brought about by our Father for his Glory and our good. When I am tired and worn out, I look up and declare, thank You my God for Your provision and meeting my needs. Amen Len Wisniewski
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That’s a most wonderful perspective, Len! I’m sure it has made all the difference!
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Indeed He does!!!
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Praise God! He is so faithful!
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Amen!!!!!!
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😀
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I pray for the Lord’s guidance; that He may give me strength and courage to accomplish everything and anything he wants me to, for His Glory. No matter how prepared or intelligent I am for specific task, I am nothing without the Lord.
Thank you for this kind and inspiring reminder, Jennifer! May God continue to bless you with more opportunities to share His Words!
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Amen to that prayer, my sister! And you are truly welcome 🙂 It’s a joy to have you here, and sharing your thoughts! ❤ 🙂
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I was blessed to have the perfect toil for me thru the years. Retirement is mundane at times, now. Jesus knows and helps me accept. 🙂
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He is such a faithful help in every season! 🙂
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Amen.:)
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❤
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Inspiring thoughts!
To add some more value to the discussion:
“Work” even PREDATES the fall of mankind into sin!
So even though we sometimes suffer under the burden of that fall in our work now, as you have said we can delight in Christ in the work.
AND…
We were designed to “be fruitful, multiply, and take dominion!”
Adam and Eve were put in the garden to WORK the garden!
They were to make it better and spread that garden to the whole world.
I want to delight in Christ WHILE I work, and delight in Christ by delighting in the work itself!
I want God to give me the Vision of Dominion – making everything excellent and beautiful with my hands, my mind, and my work.
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Wow, thank you, Jon! I enjoyed your insights so very much. Work was an integral part of Eden, of Paradise. His presence can convert our occupations into a Paradise on earth! “Let Your Kingdom come, let Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!” In our workplaces as it is in Paradise!
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