Better at It, Enjoying It Less
“Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.”Ecclesiastes 5:18 (KJV)
Picture someone who loves what they do. They do it for years for a small audience, and they enjoy every minute. Then one thing takes off. Suddenly the work is about the numbers. They get better at the craft and enjoy it less.
It happens in all kinds of work. A hobby becomes a business. A calling becomes a career ladder. The joy slips away while the results go up, and we don’t notice until the work feels heavy.
Solomon saw something good in plain work: “it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.” Enjoying your work is a gift from God, not a distraction from it.
If you’ve lost the joy, ask whether you are still doing the work for him, or only for the feedback.
Read it yourself
Read Ecclesiastes 5:18–20. What does Solomon call the ability to enjoy your labour?
What part of your work did you used to enjoy, and what changed?
Lord, my work is a gift from you. Help me do it for you, and find joy in it again. Amen.