Ecclesiastes 2:24 — There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
I’m feeling pleased with what Myra and I have been able to do today. Myra has made major progress with reorganizing our garage, with me doing the heavy lifting and then making a Boef Bourgingonne that worked out really well. We’re sitting here, watching some mindless TV and feeling satisfied but weary. So what do you think? Are we being sinfully proud, do you think, or is it O.K. for us to feel like this?
I think it’s fine. I know there’s a kind of reverse snobbery that seems to suggest that taking any kind of pleasure in what we do, and their good results, is to pretend to take some of God’s glory for ourselves. I think that’s hypocritical nonsense at worst, and at best a misunderstanding of who God is.

What do you think? When Peter and Andrew, and James and James and John, came back from a good days fishing and said how good they felt, what a great day it was, do you think Jesus said “you guys are stealing My Father’s glory”? I don’t think so.

Good work, well done, is an aspect of discipleship. Consider this:

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)

“Work out your own salvation” — we are to act on that desire which God has placed in us so that we will receive the priceless gift which He has prepared for us. It would be unreasonable for us not to be satisfied when we respond and bring to completion the good work that God has started on us.
There is something more. It is often said — but it can well be repeated — that God created work before the Fall. It was not some kind of punishment but a proper way for man to fill his time. When we work, therefore, we are carrying out God’s will for us. When we do it well, there is no reason why we should not take satisfaction from it.