God Knows Your Job Gets Old

My sermon last Sunday touched on the theology of work. Work is meant to be a blessing, not a curse. But God knows, there are times when we find our work is nothing but a burden. Whether our work is parenting, caregiving, volunteering, working at home, or working outside the home, most of us at times feel drained.

So here are some additional suggestions for inviting God's spirit into your work.

* Develop a personal mission statement. Having a focus for why you do what you do helps you to stay on track when problems arise. An example: "To live as a disciple of Christ and bring hope and healing to others." When I worked as a chaplain, I led workshops for staff members to develop their individual mission statements.

* Talk about your spirituality. If you came to an important decision as a result of prayer, tell someone. Share a thought from a sermon or a devotional reading that made an impression on you. Offer to pray for someone, and then follow up. Ask people what makes them feel spiritually alive -- feeding the birds, reading a poem, riding a bike, cooking a great meal, laughing with friends, singing out loud?

* See a spiritual director. I see my spiritual director once a month, no matter what is happening in my life. A spiritual director is someone who is trained to listen and pray with people, like a counselor for your spiritual life. They don't ask you about childhood experiences, but more about how you see God at work in the events of your life. To find a spiritual director, visit www.sdi.org.

* Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Whenever I visit a church member in a hospital or nursing home, I am reminded of how much I take my health for granted. When I visit my Uncle Bob, who has been a paraplegic for more than 15 years, I learn a lesson about gratitude. Though all he can do is eat and talk, he is constantly upbeat. He doesn't focus on his limits, he thinks about what he can still do.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit."

God knows your job gets old. But when we invite the Spirit to work with us, Christ makes all things new.