A Definition of Work: Finding Meaning In Our Doing
We were created in the image of a Creator. That’s not just a nice poetic line, it’s a theological truth with huge implications. In the beginning, God created. He formed beauty, order, function, and flourishing out of chaos and void. And then He invited us into it. Let’s explore a definition of work.
Work in the Beginning
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15)
John Mark Comer, in Garden City, describes work as a way to partner with God in the ongoing creation of the world. A form of participation. A form of love.
Before the fall, before the thorns and the sweat and the striving, God gave humanity a task, to tend and keep the garden. To cultivate and care for His creation.
Work is bringing order from chaos, beauty from brokenness, and fruitfulness from the raw material of the world. We are not machines. We are cultivators, co-creators, image-bearers.
God gave humanity purpose.
I love that. Because it shifts work from being a chore to being a calling.
You were not just meant to consume what the world gives, you were meant to contribute. To build, shape, restore, and make beautiful. Whether we’re parenting, painting, planting, organizing, planning, or serving, our work is one of the primary ways we reflect the image of God.
In the beginning, God created…
And then He said: Let’s make humans in Our image.
To be made in the image of a Creator means we were made to create, not just art, but order. Not just beauty, but belonging. Not just things, but meaning.
God gave us the raw materials and we are to build from that.
Work is Worship
Our work matters not just practically, but spiritually. It shapes the world around us. And when done in love, it becomes an act of worship.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Colossians 3:23–24)
No task is too small or effort wasted. If it builds beauty, brings order, serves others, or reveals love, it matters.
Work is your worship. It’s your offering. It’s one of the ways you say, Here I am, God, use me.
A Working Definition of Work
Work is anything you do to cultivate goodness, beauty, or order in the world.
Work is not defined by a paycheck or title and not limited to your job.
It is not bound to a certain season of life (i.e. I work until I retire and then I cease working…ask any retired person if that’s true!).
Sometimes it flows easily and at times it requires significant physical or mental effort.
You can work as a CEO or a stay-at-home parent. As a barista, a builder, a writer, a gardener. You can work on your marriage, your neighborhood, your dreams, your healing. Work is bigger than any one role.
And no matter what it looks like, it matters.
A Note on Creativity
Every person is made as a creator by the Creator. The debate about whether or not something or someone is creative depends on perspective. You might create a piece of art or you might create safe space for someone to be vulnerable. You might create the blueprint for a custom home or you might create a warm atmosphere for out of town guests. Creativity can be found in anything we do because it is at the essence of humanity.
All good work is creative because it brings something into being. It restores, heals, nurtures, contributes.
Creativity can also be found in play. The difference between work and play is that work carries responsibility, impact, or stewardship. Play is purely for joy without pressure of performance or achievement. We need both of these modes of creativity.
So while not all creativity is work, I believe all true work is creative.
To Summarize…
Work is not just what we do. It’s who we’re becoming as we do it.
We were made to co-create with God, to build gardens out of wild ground, to participate in the renewal of all things.
So let’s reclaim the beauty of work as something to offer, not something to escape. A blessing, not a burden.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord… (Colossians 3:23–24)
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Find the Work You Were Made For
Do you have a desire to live with more purpose?
Do you sense that your work and your gifts are meant for more?
Are you struggling to figure out what you’re made for?
If something in this post stirred something in you, I’d love to chat.
I offer free discovery calls to help you get clarity, encouragement, and next steps. No pressure, no weird sales pitch, just a real conversation to see if coaching is the right fit for where you’re headed.
Let’s explore the work you were made for!
