Devotional: Good Work- When Work Feels Frustrating
“For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.”
Ecclesiastes 2:21 (NIV)
Work is part of God’s good design, but ever since the fall, it has been marked by both frustration and futility. Genesis 3 describes how Adam and Eve’s disobedience led to the ground being cursed, producing “thorns and thistles” alongside every harvest. It’s a picture of how all human labor is now touched by brokenness: the same soil that produces fruit also produces frustration.
We experience this in many ways—emails that never stop, projects that collapse after months of effort, relationships that take years to build but can unravel in a moment. Ecclesiastes is brutally honest when it reminds us that even our greatest achievements eventually pass to someone else. Left on its own, work can feel empty and raise the haunting question: What’s the point?
But the Bible never leaves us there. Though work is touched by sin, it is not stripped of its dignity or its purpose. When we surrender our labor to God, it becomes part of His greater design. Even when results are slow, invisible, or unfinished in our lifetime, the effort is not wasted.
Think of a teacher pouring countless hours into her students. She may never see the full impact of her investment, but years later, those students may carry lessons into their careers, their families, and even their faith. Or consider the parent who faithfully provides, day after day, without applause. Their unseen labor builds stability that shapes the next generation. In God’s hands, no effort is ever lost.
The truth is this: if we make work about our own success or identity, we will always end up disappointed. But when we dedicate our labor to God—whether it’s teaching, building, creating, serving, or raising a family—He weaves it into His larger story. Our labor may feel frustrating and futile at times, but in Christ, it is never meaningless. One day, the curse will be lifted, and we will work again—this time without frustration, futility, or sorrow. Until then, every task becomes an act of worship when it is done for Him.
Prayer
Father, thank You for the gift of work. Even though sin has marked it with struggle, You have given us purpose in the things we do. Help us to see our daily labor not as meaningless, but as a way to honor You and bless others. Give us strength when we face “thorns and thistles,” and remind us that in Christ, our work carries eternal value. Amen.
Discussion Questions
Where do you feel the “thorns and thistles” of work in your life right now?
How does frustration usually affect the way you view your job or responsibilities?
What changes when you view your work as service to God rather than just to yourself or others?
How can you encourage someone this week who feels that their work is meaningless?
Dig Deeper
Watch: We Studied "Blessing" and "Curse" in the Bible (Here’s What We Found) by the Bible Project
Book: Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work by Tom Nelson
Work may be frustrating and often feels futile, but it is not meaningless. In Christ, every effort done in faith carries eternal significance.
