Job ≠ Self-Worth

When someone asks, "Who are you?" or when we’re introducing ourselves, it’s almost second nature to define ourselves by our jobs.

“I’m a teacher.”
“I’m a business owner.”
“I’m a student.”
“I’m a programmer.”
“I’m a marketing manager.”
……..etc.

It feels normal to respond this way because much of our lives revolve around vocations. Think about it—subtract the hours we spend sleeping, and the majority of our waking hours are dedicated to work. For instance, two hours commuting to work, nine hours at the office (often more!). That’s 11 hours of your day consumed by work! After deducting 8 hours of sleep, you’re left with only 5 hours for everything else. No wonder we begin to see ourselves through the lens of our work.

It’s no wonder people often define themselves by their vocations. In this society, people are often evaluated by their positions, titles, and professions. Without realizing it, we begin to tie our identity to our job. When this happens, our jobs can become the foundation of our self-worth and a fragile foundation for our sense of value.

What happens when someone loses their job? Many feel their self-esteem plummets as if their worth has been stripped away. Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, described this as unemployment neurosis. It’s a condition where being jobless is equated with being useless, and being useless is equated with having a meaningless life. We often lose a sense of who we are when we lose our jobs. He shared a story in his book of a man who fell into depression after losing his job. By helping him to engage in voluntary work at a library, that man then found a new purpose, and his mental health improved, even though his financial situation was still challenging.

This story reveals a powerful truth and reminder: our job should not define our worth.

So, who are we? We are beloved children of God.
Where does our self-worth come from? It comes from Jesus, who paid the ultimate price to redeem us.

Your job title can change. Your position can be taken away. But your identity as a beloved child of God is eternal and unshakable.

Our primary purpose in life is not merely to work and earn money. The deepest cries of our hearts for meaning and self-worth are fully satisfied in Christ Jesus. Our hearts were made to find rest and fulfilment in Him.

Pause and reflect for a moment.

If we were to lose our job tomorrow, could we still rest in the knowledge that God loves us deeply and sees us as precious? Would we still believe that our worth is found in Christ, not in our accomplishments or accolades?

Beloved, God’s love for us is unconditional. He doesn’t love us because of our title, accomplishments, or success. He loves us because of who we are. He redeemed us with His blood so that our worth would rest securely in Him, not in our own efforts or strength.