Why?

           Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. (II Timothy 2:8-10) 

Not long ago, I wrote about Viktor Frankl’s contention that if we know our why, we can survive our what. When the going gets tough, when we’re suffering, when we’re trapped, Paul says to Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead. Paul gave his own example of his why; he wanted the elect to obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Now, as I face a new job that is likely to require eight-hour days that I haven’t worked in several years, and the prospect that my ankle and my knees might not be inclined to cooperate, does that philosophy come to mind? Do I have a clear, strong why to carry me through? Do I have a lofty and noble why like Paul? Am I going to work to glorify God or to see His Word proclaimed? Am I going because I love God and because I love the people with whom I come in contact? The grumblings I’ve heard from myself have included the question of whether it’s worth the pain I may face. Note the “may.” I don’t even know. The valley of the shadow of death – not actual death, but even the shadow, the threat of the faintest discomfort brings on worry.

I’m not sharing all this for pity. I suspect this is a normal state for most of us. I suspect our whys are particularly puny. We may even have more than one why, and one may damage the other. We might do something partly because we’ve chosen to love our neighbor as ourselves, but we might also want to look good.  When the going gets tough, loving our neighbors might get us through some pain. Looking good may get us through some, too, but I suspect we’ll reach an end more quickly when it’s to look good.

I need to do some thinking about my whys for my job.