The very first mention of work in the bible is of God’s work in creating the heavens and the earth, from which rested on the 7th day (Genesis 2:2-3).
God works and He made man in His own image and gave man work to do. (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:2). The Lord did not leave mankind idle without direction or purpose. God blessed mankind gave them a responsibility to be fruitful & multiply, fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28). God put Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it and freely eat it’s fruit (Genesis 2:15-16).
Man by God’s design is made to work and God gets glory from His intended purpose being fulfilled in man. As image bearers of Almighty God whose work is faithful and good (Psalm 33:4, Genesis 1:31) we reflect His glory as good and faithful servants or workers. The biggest problem with mankind is that we have all sinned and fallen short of reflecting and rendering God the glory that He is due (Romans 3:23). In our sinfulness we have failed to work diligently, faithfully, justly, generously, wisely, righteously, honestly and good, as God created us to. The glorious truth of the gospel of Christ is that Jesus came and did the great work of redemption, that no one else could ever have accomplished. Jesus said that His food was to do the will of the Father and finish His work (John 4:34). As a man who real experienced hunger and thirst Jesus found his nourishment and satisfaction from doing the will and work of the Father. This statement by Christ was mentioned in the context of evangelism, with the Samaritan woman, at the well. Jesus said the Father is working and so was the Son at work (John5:17). And Jesus also said that He only did what He saw the Father doing. The Father had given works for Jesus to do while He was on earth as a man (John 5:36) and Jesus carried out every one of those works. Before Christ was went to the cross He prayed saying “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (John 17:4 ESV). Then right before His death He said “it is finished” (John 19:30).
Christ suffered and died so that He might redeem his own special people zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). Those who are in Christ Jesus are created for good works that God had prepared beforehand for them to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). Genuine saving faith in Christ will produce good works. If someone says that they believe in God but don’t have works that demonstrate their professing faith, then that is what the bible calls dead faith or not even faith at all (James 2:14-26). Our faith in Christ must produce good works in general but it must also effect the work we do as an occupation and how we work on the job. Paul in writing the Colossians expounded on the preeminence that Christ has over all things (Colossians 1:15-20) and building on that he exhorted them to put Christ first in every area of their lives, including work. He wrote “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23, 24 ESV).
This is how the gospel should influence the work ethic of every Christian. Christians are to work heartily or diligently as unto to God not seeking the approval of man or “kissing up” so to speak. They must keep in their perspective that Christ will reward good hard and faithful work. True believers in Christ will one day hear these words from Christ “well done good an faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

Often the mundane nature of an occupation can make it difficult to work heartily or to put your heart into your work. But you must remember that our Lord Jesus became a man and worked as a carpenter, in the foot steps of Joseph. It wasn’t until Jesus was about 30 years old that He started his exciting ministry, which lasted for about 3 years. Before that He was being faithful to do what the Father had given him to do. During this time Jesus grew in wisdom and stature finding favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). This certainly implies that He was doing what the Father wanted. Jesus recognized the times and seasons of life. In the gospel of John he referred several times to “his hour” (John 2:4, 7:6…). We must be diligent and faithful in the mundane day to day work that God has give us to do and there will be a time when the Lord will exalt or reward us. But we must seek to exalt Christ in all that we do even our eating and drinking (1 Cor. 10:31).
May you be steadfast, immovable, always increasing in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).