When Work Becomes An Idol

Right now, I am sitting at the dining room table with essential oils and ice on my back. I woke up this morning to discover my back was going out. Joy!

As I was hobbling around this morning trying to accomplish a few menial tasks the best I could, I began thinking.

I was trying to fold a load of my brother’s laundry without doing too much bending and then went out to the kitchen which still witnessed the remains of feeding a large family breakfast. I put some items away and turned to Mom asking if one of her pupils was available to unload the dishwasher, so I didn’t have to bend. I was having to ask for help! It isn’t that I mind asking or accepting help and I have asked a young sibling many times to come and help me in an area, but the fact that I was asking because I couldn’t do it myself without pain.

I am not used to feeling unwell. I went through a time last year where I was struggling with energy which we decided had to do a great deal with my thyroid and adrenals. I had already been doing some diet change and with that we coupled with some essential oils. I am thankful to say that my health is much better. However, from an occasional headache (or backache!), I have been blessed with health, but with that I am used to pushing myself.

I have grown up working. From an early age, I was given chores and expected to do them. As I grew older in age and our family grew in size, I was given more and responsibility both on the farm and in the home. From bottle feeding baby calves to putting in a load of laundry, to freezing vegetables, to checking calving cows, to doing dishes, I grew up working and am so thankful for that gift.

I love being at home and serving my family, but I have been convicted lately that work can very easily become an idol to me. I can view “successful” virtuous daughterhood from the spectacles of work. My “success” as a daughter can be based on how much work I can accomplish. If I have a very busy day when I am running around accomplishing a lot of work, and fall into bed exhausted, I can count that as a successful day. I can put such high precedence on work that I will run over people in the process of trying to accomplish a task. What!

I see myself as the invincible daughter! The one able to accomplish anything or die trying! I will push the limits of health or reason to finish a task…for what? For the praise of men? To feel better about me? To be able to add my list of accomplished work to my resume as a prospective wife?

This IS NOT how I should be viewing life! That is not wisdom.

Wisdom is viewing life from God’s perspective. Seeing everything from His vantage point using scripture and listening to the Holy Spirit.

My encouragement today: consider how you view work.

Do you view it as a tool to get attention? Praise?

Is it just apart of your everyday, dull, “Cinderella life”? Something you do because you are told to?

Is it something you do only when your mom pins you down to it?

Is it a joyful part of your fulfillment of God’s will?

See work from God’s perspective. Ask Him to give you heart of service, but a balance of love.

Work for an audience of 1 and 1 only.