“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” John 4:34 NIV
We eat food so that we have the energy to move. The act of eating food gives us satisfaction, especially if it’s a choice meal. Growing up, after every meal, my dad would say, “food is good; good food is better; choice food is best.” It was an annoying chant as a child and did not understand it until I became an adult and started providing for my home…hahaha!
For Christ to say his food is to do God’s will and finish his work, it means that He derived satisfaction and obtained energy each time he worked. His energy wasn’t depleted, but it was renewed with every effort. How exactly does that work?
I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum- I’ve had seasons where I would love the work so much, that I never got tired. I’ve also had seasons whereby 11am I was already emotionally and physically exhausted. The former gave me satisfaction and energy, while the latter did not.
There was a time that things got so bad that every night when I spoke with my fiancée, I would just rant about how unfulfilling work was. After several days of doing this, she gave me an ultimatum that shook me.
She said…
“I don’t want my children to have a tired, unfulfilled and angry father. You must do something about this job, or else we won’t get married” (paraphrased).
Guess what happened?
I quit the job the following month! I wasn’t ready to lose on both ends. I had worked so hard at the job and taken on so much that it had sucked life out of me.
When what you do becomes food for your soul, you get excited about it, you’re never distracted and whenever it’s time to “eat”, you eat. But when it is not food, how can you detect it?
1. Your energy is almost always on zero
Rising up to work becomes boring. Every day looks longer than normal. And depending on how well you sleep, your eyes are often half-mast (half open because of exhaustion).
2. You become angry and bitter
Everything frustrates you. Taking on more work starts to feel like a death sentence but because you don’t have strong muscles to say “no”, you take it on and become angry.
3. You go out of balance
If you are married, your relationship with your spouse takes a hit. I have a story about this, but for another day. You lose touch with your friends and your productivity plummets.
As much as I tried to put a smile on my face and play with people, I had a short circuit. Any little disagreement would make me raise the roof and everyone would stay at arm’s length.
What’s your story right now? Do the three points above describe you? Do you know someone who has such a profile? Perhaps instead of judging them, you can find out what’s wrong. Sometimes, a listening and discreet ear is all that’s needed. And if this is you, find someone to confide in.
The focus scripture should be the goal. Is work food for you? Or is it a heavy cross that depletes you? Hit reply to let me know.
Today’s Task: Get in touch with how you feel about work and determine what side of the spectrum you are on.
Complete This…
“If I were going to enjoy my life and have more presence, depth and joy in my everyday life, I would have to start…”
Complete this statement in a journal you use so that each day gives you a sense of fulfilment.
Source: I get these Growth prompts from my digital journal – GrowthDay.
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