“Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do.” Ephesians 6:7-8 (NLT)

Have you ever been forced to take a job you didn’t really want? Maybe you couldn’t find your dream job or financial needs made you take the job that was available but not the one you wanted. You had to settle for what you thought was best.

This was one of the many setbacks Joseph in the Bible faced—to a much greater degree than we will ever experience. Genesis 37:36 says, “Meanwhile, in Egypt, the traders sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh—the king of Egypt” (TLB).

In a matter of days, Joseph went from being a pampered son in his father's home to being a slave in someone else's home in a foreign country. He was doing work he never expected to do, without having any say in the matter. 

You may be in a job right now that you really don't like or don’t want to do, that you wish you didn't have to do. You wish you were doing something else somewhere else. Maybe on your worst days, it even feels like forced labor. It seems like a setback, and you don’t see an end in sight.

If that’s you, then you probably can identify with Joseph and how he felt. 

But Joseph made a pretty remarkable decision: Wherever Joseph went and whatever he did, he chose to do the best he could with what he had for God. Even as a slave, away from his home, he served with his whole heart and tried to honor God with good work and good character. 

Joseph took the work of a slave and gave it meaning. He did this by working for God and not for his human master. He saw God as his boss, and so he gave God his best in his work.

And it didn’t go unnoticed: Joseph’s excellent work stood out and led to promotions by his master that eventually landed him in the service of the king.

Ephesians 6:7-8 says, “Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do” (NLT).

No one else may notice your efforts, and you may not see your reward until you get to heaven. But your diligent, faithful work in your job will never go unnoticed by the One whose opinion matters most.

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Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!

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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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