I’m currently reading a book right now called “God at Work”, by Gene Edward Veith. This morning I ran across a quote by Luther that is mentioned in this book in the context of how our faith and dependence on God is crucial when we face trials in our vocation.

This faith creates rest, satisfaction, and peace and dispels weariness.  But where faith is lacking and man judges according to his own feelings, ideas, and perception, behold, weariness arises.

Because he feels only his own misery and not that of his neighbor, he does not see his own priviledges nor how unfortunate his neighbor is. The result of this unsatisfied feeling is aversion, trouble, and toil throughout life.  He grows impatient and quarrels with God…. He embitters his life, and hell is his reward.

Here you see how faith is necessary in everything; how it makes all things easy, good, and pleasant, even in prison or death, as the martyrs prove.  But without faith all things are difficult, bad, and bitter, even if all the pleasures and joys of the whole world were yours, as is shown by all the mighty and the rich, who live the most miserable life of all the time

I’m so convicted by this.  When I have the faith that God has placed me at my job as my calling, I clearly see purpose and meaning in what I do. I’m able to see the burdens of others, and I’m able to praise God for the people he’s placed around me.  When I don’t have this faith, I immediately focus on my own misery, and things really feel wearisome. Even if others are suffering much worse than me, my dependence on myself means I can’t see it.  Even if things go exactly as they should, somehow I’m left unsatisfied.

My prayer is that I would be satisfied by something greater than my job.  That I’d be able to see how awesome and amazing it is that the God of the Universe would place me in a specific place, for a specific purpose.  That he gives me faith that could move the mountain that is myself, so that I could see that it’s not all about me.