End Boredom At WorkSample

My job doesn’t have meaning.

Boredom often creeps up when there seems to be no good reason for the work we do. Joseph probably felt this way. He had dreamed of achieving greatness, but instead he found himself working as a slave in a dysfunctional household. Through no fault of his own, he ended up in prison, which was likely both boring and terrifying. How did Joseph cope with his daily work when it felt both disappointing and meaningless?

Joseph made the best of a bad situation by taking an interest in the people around him. No matter how boring our work may be, the people around us are endlessly fascinating if we take the time to care about them. Joseph listened to the stories of his fellow prisoners. His gift for dream interpretation had gotten him into trouble with his brothers in the past. But when Joseph uses this gift to serve others, his work opportunities take a turn for the better. Eventually Joseph counsels the king, but only after he uses his time of boredom for service.

Joseph ultimately tells his brothers that God brought him to Egypt because it would save many people later. For Joseph, the passage of time made him see that his previous boredom was necessary. He discovered a hidden purpose for his work.

Your work may have a purpose that you can’t see now. Ask God to show you. See if you can use your gifts to help the people around you. It could be the way to short-circuit boredom at work.

Prayer

Thank you, God, for the work you have given me to do today. Show me the meaning of my work and a way out of boredom. I commit my work to you. Amen.

We hope this plan encouraged you. You can find more plans from the Theology of Work Project at www.theologyofwork.org/devotions