Many people are workaholics. They live for their work, largely because they receive worth and significance from this. Christians need to understand that our worth and value come from who we are, not from what we do. Our identity is secure in God and is not dependent on our work; we work as a response to God and because He has given us talents and skills that can bring Him glory, not in order to earn His favour. We need to embrace the freedom of who we are in God so that we are not constantly working and striving in order to gain God’s favour. Jesus praised the birds of the air who did not sow or reap or store food away in barns and the lilies of the field who did not labour or spin (Matt 6:26-28), reminding us that God knows our needs and looks after us, praising those creatures for living as God intended them to, namely by trusting God.
Work is not intended to be a substitute for God, even though many people have made an idol out of their jobs. Our sense of security and significance come from the relationship we have with God, not what we do for Him. Many of us may feel that our everyday work is in vain (see Ps 127:1). We feel dogged by thoughts of inadequacy, haunted by the nagging feeling that our lives don’t really count for anything or amount to much. The unrelenting nature of work or the aching endlessness of no work dog us incessantly, yapping at us like a terrier, snapping at our souls, draining confidence from us. The only antidote to this is to immerse ourselves in the knowledge that God is our loving Father and we are secure in our identity as His children. We work from this desire to bless God with all we do, not from a nagging feeling that our work is required to earn His approval. As Dave reminded us from Zeph 3:17, God already cherishes us and delights over us. We don’t have to do anything to earn His love or favour!