To Work and To Keep

‘To create is an act of service. It’s a losing of myself in service to others through creativity’

Tyler Staton

I used to think a job that lost its purpose wasn't worth staying in. That if the values shifted and people became dispensable, the only faithful response was to leave.

The reality is we measure success by impact, by alignment, by whether our work feels meaningful. But God's greatest concern isn't always changing your circumstances, it's often about what He's cultivating in you while you stay.

Genesis 2:15 "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it."

"Work and keep." Two words that hold everything.

Work was never meant to be punishment, it's creativity, purpose, and reflection of God's own image in us. But "keep" is not the same. It means to tend, to nurture, to protect. To stay present even when the soil turns hard.

God doesn’t just want us to get through tough times; He's inviting us to tend them:

● To choose small acts of kindness over bitterness when it’s easier to do so

● To quietly live by kingdom values when no one's watching

● To look for ways to bless colleagues even when you don’t feel like it

You can’t always see the fruit. Sometimes it's just strength for one more day. Wisdom for a difficult conversation. The capacity to encourage someone else who's struggling.

But here's what I'm learning: the "keeping" work, the heart work, is what keeps us going.

Thought for the week: As you step into this week, ask yourself: Where has my work felt more like toil? Is God inviting me not just to work, but to "keep”, to look for glimpses of goodness, to resist resentment, and to become a carrier of light for those around me?

Prayer:

Lord, when work feels stripped of meaning, teach me to "keep." Help me see where You're at work in and through me, even in difficult places. Let my daily tasks become places where Your creativity and love shine through. Let me be light wherever You send me.

Amen

Sam Barbee (North West HUB Member)