Does work feel meaningless to you?
If so, you’re not alone. At least one in five Americans report that their job is meaningless. While that’s just a small sample of the world’s population, we wouldn’t be surprised if people in every country feel the same way. After completing hundreds of podcasts, videos, and interviews, the Faith Driven team has seen firsthand that everyone struggles with meaninglessness at some point or another.
“What makes work meaningful or meaningless?”
It’s a question we get all the time at Faith Driven Entrepreneur. At its core, the question has to do with identity. Who am I? How do I fit in? What is my purpose?
One solution to meaninglessness is to resign yourself to the monotony. Another solution is to maximize your sense of immediate fulfillment. But do either of these solutions answer the fundamental issue at hand? No. Although work can feel meaningless, human beings have an innate desire for meaning and purpose that isn’t met by immediate gratification.
While meaningful work looks different for everyone, there are a few guideposts that have proven to be helpful along the way. In this article, the Faith Driven team is going to point to a few Bible verses, entrepreneurs, and resources that point us toward meaningful work.
We begin with this fundamental belief. Faith driven entrepreneurs live lives that have been transformed by the Gospel, that have accepted the gift of salvation, and now seek to bring God glory as their greatest and highest purpose.
With a deep-rooted identity in Christ, we can begin to find joy, inspiration, and meaning in whatever we do.
Everything is Meaningless
King Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, was obsessed with the meaning of life (or lack of). In the book, he tries out every single activity and pleasure known to man, seeing what might bring him happiness and contentment. However, nearly everything leads him to say, “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Eccl. 1:2).
King Solomon tries food, drink, intimacy, riches, and more. Work doesn’t fare much better. In Solomon’s words, “I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me” (Eccl. 2: 17-18).
Thankfully, the book doesn’t end there. Unlike riches and self-indulgence, Solomon finds a silver lining to work and toil: “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” (Eccl. 2:24-25).
The Faith Driven team doesn’t quote these verses to say that work is meaningless. Not at all. However, it’s important to note that work can feel meaningless (too many outlets focus only on the mountain tops while ignoring the valleys). It’s also important to note that experiencing meaning and purpose is a gift from God. Ecclesiastes helps us be honest with our emotions while aligning our perspective with a vision of the world where God blesses us and sustains us each and every day.
If you’re looking for what makes work meaningful or meaningless, then try considering meaningful work as a gift, not something you are automatically owed.
We Were Created to Work
Some entrepreneurs are raised to believe that work is drudgery. Work was introduced to be a curse, as a consequence of the fall. Perhaps you had a parent who hated their job and came home every night complaining about the unfair schedule and their annoying boss. Perhaps you had a pastor who took a too-narrow view of the creation story.
But when we read the Bible, we find that while work was affected by the fall, work was not created by the fall.
In Genesis, we read, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Gen 2:15). This was before Satan tempted Adam and Eve. Work was originally part of God’s good creation. Although meaningless work can wear us down, we shouldn’t give up hope of finding a fulfilling career or starting a worthwhile business. We were created to work, and it was supposed to be good. Work is in our DNA.
Since human beings were created to work, and God considered work good, then work is something that can be redeemed for God’s glory.
Meaning is Rooted in Dignity
Therefore, scripture tells us that work is a gift from God and part of who we are as human beings. As such, meaningful work isn’t up to a lucky roll of some cosmic die. It’s something built into the fabric of creation. Not only is work something to be redeemed in itself, but work is a tool for redemption. As people experience meaning in what they do, they experience a unique side of what it means to be God’s children. In other words, creating workspaces that foster purpose promotes human dignity.
And let’s not forget one of the core Marks of the Faith Driven Entrepreneur: Identity in Christ. While business can provide a deep sense of accomplishment and purpose, it cannot provide us with complete meaning. Christ is the one who tells us who we are and what we are called to do. This is both general and specific. We are all beloved children of God, but that doesn’t negate our earthly callings: lawyer, evangelist, baker, or entrepreneur.
