“The man was taken by the LORD God and placed in the Garden of Eden to work and maintain it.” Genesis 2:15
Adam was tasked by God upon his creation to tend to and labor in the Garden of Eden. Therefore, labor is a part of God’s good creation and serves a purpose that God has for humanity rather than being a consequence of sin. For instance, according to Genesis 2:20 and Genesis 1:28, Adam’s duties included naming every animal and exercising dominion over them.
Sin has also harmed everything, including the workplace. “Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life […] By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread,” God spoke to Adam after he had offended Him (Genesis 3:17-19). Human labor would consequently become arduous and exhausting on a regular basis. And ever since, this has been a typical human experience. In fact, Moses states in Psalm 90:10, “The years of our life are seventy, or even eighty by reason of strength; yet their span is but toil and trouble.”
However, improving oneself might still be beneficial. According to Ecclesiastes 2:24, “there is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.”
Do you find your work enjoyable or is it a source of exhaustion for you?