Is work just something we have to do to get to the weekend, or can it be a true expression of what God has called us to do? Does God only call a few people, and are those people always on staff in churches or on the mission field? Do the rest of us just work to support the few who are called? The Bible gives dignity to any work. There are no non-sacred occupations:

"God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to other’s God’s many kinds of blessings."

I Peter 4:10 (LB)

Could you tell me what success means for you this year? Are you where you thought you’d be at this stage of your life? Have you ever had a sense of "calling" in your life? How did you hear that calling? Is your work a fulfillment of your "calling?" Do you go home at night with a sense of meaning, purpose and accomplishment?

St Augustine said: "To work is to pray." God established work before the fall. God placed the first humans in the garden to "tend and keep it." This work assignment was given before sin entered the world and God pronounced the curse.

God blesses work even after the fall. If work were evil, God would never encourage people to engage in it. In Colossians 3:23 we are told to "work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord and not merely for your masters (bosses)." (LB)

God expected us to enjoy our work! Even Solomon in his most pessimistic moments realized this. "That everyone may… find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God." (Ecc. 3:13) Work that fulfills our "calling" will be energizing and uplifting.

God is saving the greatest rewards for eternity – and work will be among them. Surprise! The saved will "build houses", "plant vineyards", and shall "long enjoy the work of their hands." (Isaiah 65:17-25)

Thank God It’s Friday relays a secular work ethic. For the Christian, work should be meaningful and an expression of who we are. It has been said that the true measure of a person is not what he does on Sunday, but who he is Monday through Saturday, and that includes what we do in our work.

There are 3 components that must be blended in our work in order for it to be an expression of our calling. (Keep in mind, your goal is to develop a strategic life plan, not just a career path.)

Skills and Abilities (What)

The most common mistake people make in choosing a career is to do something simply because they are good at it. Remembering the happiest times in your life and the times when you felt most fulfilled are better indicators of your calling than just knowing what you have the ability to do. You must have the ability, but that’s only one component.