Have you ever had one of those long days on the job with seemingly hundreds of problems and half as many solutions?  It’s uncanny how fast the clock rolls past quitting time,  and the decision has to be made to leave the problems behind or pack them up and take them with you.  For many of us, we take those problems home and smear them across our relationships.

We’ve all had this day more than once in our career haven’t we?  We slog home and slump into our easy chair thinking that we’ve had a tough day.  I recall many of those days where the dread of the next day would settle in before I could close my eyes to conclude the current day.

More than once, in the stillness that settles on me just before sleep – when I prayed for God to forgive me of my human nature and to give me rest – I have heard this echo in my spirit:

“So you think you’ve had a tough day?  What about the total fury of hell that Jesus Christ held off your back today?  I think you got off pretty easy.  I’ve got this.”

We can get so wrapped up in our own little universe, thinking that we are some kind of superman that can solve everything.  We somehow turn into tiny little creators and pretend to rule our little worlds.  We eventually buckle under the pressure.  Meanwhile, Jesus is fighting back the hell that stands at our door – and He never buckles, never ceases to conquer, and stands ready to defend us each day.

And to think we have tough days… forgive us, God, for our selfishness.

Ecclesiastes talks about the work we do in our lives and that we all are created to toil.   Webster defines Toil: long strenuous fatiguing labor. This toil that the writer refers to, is our God given duty – described in early Genesis.  The writer of Ecclesiastes also tells us that after searching the world for the meaning of life, that our only worthwhile pursuit in this life is to find joy in our toil.  Anything else is wasted.  The key element for Christians is understanding  that the focus isn’t the toil… it will be wherever you go.  Rather, the focus should be praising God in all that you do.

I am thankful for the toil.  I am thankful that all I have to do is “turn the soil by the sweat of my brow” while Jesus fights the real fight for me.  I am beyond thankful that Jesus Christ stands behind the enemy lines protecting me from the real battles of life.  What about you?

Without faith, there would be little hope in each day.  Without Jesus standing over us, protecting us from all types of atrocities and evil shouting for our attention, I would surely die a painful death each day.

How sad it would be to find ourselves at the end of this life… having toiled but never experiencing true joy.  How can we not celebrate each day and the Grace of God knowing that He is fighting for us?

May you find that your toil… is just your toil.  And may you discover that the daily headaches of your toil is nothing compared to the battle that Jesus fights on your behalf.   God sent his son so you could be free from the grasp of hell.  He has conquered that realm.   The struggles you face are nothing compared to His fight for you and what He keeps from your doorstep through His sacrifice.  Thank Him now, suck it up, and praise Him deeply for that breath you just took.  Live Bold with your life, because you have been redeemed.