Joy in the Process

“So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?” Ecclesiastes 3:22

After wrestling with injustice, mortality, and mystery, Solomon lands on something surprisingly simple: rejoice in your work. At first, it almost sounds anticlimactic. After all that searching, is this really where wisdom ends? But Solomon isn’t settling for resignation—he’s inviting us into worship. He’s saying that joy, found right in the middle of the struggle, is an act of trust. It’s believing that even when you can’t see the full picture, God is still present in the process.

That truth has come alive for me watching my daughter, C.A., work at her game. Whether it’s scorching hot or frozen with snow on the ground, she’s out there swinging. Hour after hour, she grinds, fails, adjusts, and tries again. Some days her hands ache, the results don’t come, and frustration creeps in—but she still loves it. She loves the work itself. And there’s something sacred about that. Watching her reminds me that God takes delight not only in our success, but in our effort—our wholehearted engagement with what He’s placed before us.

I think of that line from The Legend of Bagger Vance: “God is happiest when His children are at play.” There’s something deeply true about that. Our Creator delights when we delight in what He’s given us to do. When we find joy in the craft, the calling, the rhythm of faithful work—even when no one is watching—we mirror His own creative joy.

We live in the middle story—between dust and glory, between resurrection and return. We can’t yet see how everything fits together, but we know the Author. That means the ordinary things—writing an email, folding laundry, making dinner, practicing a swing—are not filler between miracles. They are the places where faith takes shape.

Because of Jesus, resurrection hope fills even the ordinary with eternal meaning. Every faithful swing, every unseen act done in love, becomes an echo of His victory.

So yes, Solomon was right: there really is nothing better than rejoicing in your work. It’s not resignation—it’s worship.

It’s joy in the process.

Reflection:

• What work has God given you right now that you can approach with renewed joy?

• How might seeing your “process” as worship change the way you live this week?

Jimmy Carter

Groups and Cares Pastor