We cannot live without it.  The Bible says we must not be allowed to eat if we do not do it (2Thessalonians 3:10).   We train and study for it but when we get it, it turns to a burden.  It always seems better to mow the grass in the other field.  For many, work is a four letter word. God did not intend it so.

It might come as a shock to many that we were born to work and that work was to be a blessing to us.  The opening line of the Bible has God doing the best job of all eternity.  God created.  God worked.

"In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands." (Psalm 102:25)

Best of all, the work God did pleased Him and after He completed His work He rested.  God took pleasure in his work and so should we.

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.  And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day.  ... And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." (Genesis 1:31, 2:3)

Not only did God work, but He gave us work that fell under His blessing.
God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!  Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." (Genesis 1:28)

The problem with work arose after the fall of humanity. Men, but also women as they leave their primary role of nurturing their children, are faced with a work environment under curse.

"Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from, 'Don't eat from this tree,' The very ground is cursed because of you; getting food from the ground will be as painful as having babies is for your wife; you'll be working in pain all your life long.  The ground will sprout thorns and weeds, you'll get your food the hard way, planting and tilling and harvesting, sweating in the fields from dawn to dusk, until you return to that ground yourself, dead and buried; you started out as dirt, you'll end up dirt." (Genesis 3:17-19 Message Bible)
 

HOW TO BEAT THE CURSE

If my work is not a blessing then there must be something wrong with the world and me, because God cannot be wrong.

a)  It All Starts With praise and gratefulness

Part of our fallen nature is that we find fault with everything and blame someone else.  The type of job we do is not the problem but our attitude is.  We all want to be professionals but once there we find it just as much of a drag. Paul tells his readers:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." (Colossians 3:23)

Would it surprise you to know that Paul gave this advice to slaves?  They had no rights, no pay and no freedom.

"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord .... since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:22-24)

b)  Renew Your Mind - watch your attitude

From early in life our thoughts about work are dictated by worldly attitudes.  Instead of asking, what has God made me to be?  Where does He want me to be and what does He want me to do?  We ask; does it pay enough?  Does it enhance my status?  Is it quick and easy enough?

We must ask, what has God put into me that will bring Him glory?  What offering can I make of my life?

c)  Curse the fruit, not the root

Work itself is not a curse as some think but the fruit of our labour has been cursed.  It gets attacked and the results are not what we expected.

"You have planted much, but have harvested little.  You eat, but never have enough.  You drink, but never have your fill.  You put on clothes, but are not warm.  You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." ... "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.  What you brought home, I blew away.  Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house." (Haggai 1:6,9)

 -  It is an issue of seeking the Kingdom first.
 -  Do God’s things first and blessing on the fruit will result.
 -  We need God’s blessing and creative Spirit to fill our work.

d)  No Quick fix

"Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death." Proverbs 10:2

e)  Rest as the Lord did - we will not work as the creator intended until we rest as He designed.

f)  Beware the worries, wealth and pleasure - Focus on God and His things.

"The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." Luke 8:14