A recipe for futility

The exiled who returned to Judah made their own business a priority. They built luxurious homes while neglecting to rebuild the temple (Hag 1:3). Since this was the case, much of their labor was in vain. The harvests were small and their wealth dissipated. No matter how hard they worked they were not satisfied (Hag 1:5-6). The key to productivity and satisfaction is to join God in his work rather than doing our own thing. Unless the Lord builds a house they labor in vain who build it (Ps 127:1).