Work can be consuming and painful. But because of Christ, we don’t work for an identity but from one. Let’s embrace our vocations and work with Christ to bring renewal to an exhausted world.

Recently a friend told me, “I feel like my job is a drain on my soul.” His words describe how many people feel today. In The Burnout Society, Byung-Chul Han observes how modern life has turned us into “achievement-subjects.” He explains, “The achievement-subject competes with itself; it succumbs to the destructive compulsion to outdo itself over and over, to jump over its own shadow.” In our desperation to maximize productivity, he argues, we’ve become a society defined by voluntary self-exploitation.

Achievement addiction has led to emotional exhaustion. Today, many are ashamed of their failure to advance in their careers, frustrated over being underpaid, or bored from long hours of menial tasks. Maybe you’re afraid because of your industry’s direction, or perhaps you wonder if your work is valuable.

In the malaise of modern work, God offers us a hopeful alternative. First Thessalonians 4:9–12 presents a theology of work rooted in divine love, quiet ambition, and missional living.

Expression of Divine Love

In verse 9, Paul praises the Thessalonian believers for their “brotherly love.” But he still offers a subtle critique. In verses 10–11, he tells them to love one another “more and more” through their work. Paul goes further in 2 Thessalonians 3, rebuking some in the church who refused to have a job. At the heart of the Thessalonians’ dysfunctional work ethic is a misunderstanding of God’s love, which is the source of and standard for our work.

Seeing work as a response to and expression of God’s love can reshape the way we approach our careers. Derek Thompson describes Americans as “adherents to a cult of productivity and achievement.” He calls this a cult of “workism.” We expect our careers to provide all we need—not only financial stability but also relationships, purpose, and even self-expression. We define ourselves by our work.

Christianity offers a more satisfying alternative. Because God loves and has worked for us, we’ve received the strength and example we need to love others through our work. Scripture often refers to God as a worker—a builder (Heb. 11:10), physician (Luke 5:31), shepherd (John 10:1), and vinedresser (15:1). He’s lovingly at work to renew us and the world.

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