Reading With the People of God #15 Purposeಮಾದರಿ

The Gift of Meaningful Work

What’s the point of working so hard, if you can’t control what comes after you?

Ecclesiastes 2:17-26 gives voice to a deep frustration: the weariness of pouring yourself into labor, only to leave it behind. The author’s honest lament touches something real—when work becomes ultimate, it can lead to despair. But he also hints at something greater: that joy and satisfaction are gifts from God, not rewards we earn from our own effort.

Galatians 6 picks up this thread with a gospel-centered vision of purpose in action. Paul calls us to sow to the Spirit—to carry one another’s burdens, do good to all, and not grow weary in doing what is right. The work isn’t meaningless when it's rooted in Christ. In Him, our labor becomes seed with eternal impact.

Taken together, these passages invite us to a quiet shift: from striving for results we can’t control, to trusting God with our labor and finding purpose in faithful, Spirit-led living.

Reflection Question:
Am I working for outcomes I can’t control, or sowing seeds of purpose in step with the Spirit?

Prayer of Illumination:
Lord, I bring you the work of my hands and the weight of my heart. Teach me through your Word to see my labor as a gift, not a burden. Help me trust you with the harvest. By your Spirit, renew my purpose—not in what I achieve, but in how I walk with you today. Amen.