Whatever your hands find to do, do with your strength; …

— Ecclesiastes 9:10

The earth is under a curse, and we experience that curse in one way or another each day. God declared to Adam in judgment: “Cursed is the ground on account of you; in hart labor you will eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles it will bring forth for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat bread until you return to the ground” (Gen 3:17-19).

Ecclesiastes describes a bleak picture of man’s daily existence as he toils every day under the sun in order to enjoy for a moment fleeting pleasures.

A bumper sticker declares the daily grind of many people; “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go!”

Many people suppose that work is a curse to be avoided, if at all possible, and an activity to be involved in only when necessary. This is not the case. God ordained work before the fall. It is not part of the curse. Adam was commanded to tend the garden before he fell into sin. Even after sin, though it is greatly aggravated by the results of the fall and the curse, it is still true that work occupies a very important position in man’s life. Without work, it is impossible for any human being to fulfill the probation that God has given him in this life.

Question to ponder:
Is work a curse to you? Is work a joy to you?