Bread of Sorrows

In these challenging times, with the economy in continual decline, it’s tempting to turn to self-help books that preach a simple message: work harder than everyone else. If someone works 10 hours, you should work 12. However, when we consult the Word of God, we find a different perspective.

Psalm 127:1-2 tells us, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. It is vain for you to rise early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil.”

This “bread of anxious toil” represents the exhaustive effort we pour into our work, often at the expense of time with family, God, and spiritual growth. We mistakenly believe that we must shoulder the burden of provision on our own, forgetting the divine promise of provision.

God’s plan for our lives does not include the consumption of the “bread of sorrows”; instead, He offers us rest, promising provision for those who love and obey Him. While we sleep, we can trust that God is at work, alleviating the need for worry about the future, for “today has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

Luke 5:1-11 provides a practical illustration of this principle. Jesus, having gathered a crowd, uses Peter’s boat as a platform for preaching, utilizing the acoustics of the sea for amplification. After a fruitless night of fishing, Peter is instructed by Jesus to cast his nets once more, resulting in an overwhelming catch. This miracle not only highlights God’s ability to provide but also symbolizes the abundance that follows obedience to His command. Peter’s decision to follow Jesus is and example of repentance from reliance on his own efforts to a trust in Christ’s provision.

Psalm 1 further emphasizes the blessings of delighting in God’s law over following worldly wisdom. It contrasts the fate of the righteous, who are like trees planted by streams of water, with the wicked, who are like chaff blown by the wind. We can gather from this Psalm the stability and provision found in aligning with God’s word, as opposed to the fleeting and often misleading advice of the world.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.