My family and I are spending a few days in Kentucky for the holidays. It’s not because it’s a great vacation spot but my dad and his wife live here. For this high-tech dependent pastor, there is very little cell phone coverage and no internet. Uggh… Most mornings, I have my fingers on the keyboard before my first sip of coffee. I’m going through withdrawal!
I do try to balance my life between work and everything else but I sometimes drift toward being a workaholic. I am blessed because I am one of the few people in the world who love their job. But, do I really love my job or just work?
The definition of "a workaholic is a person who is addicted to work. This phrase does not always imply that the person actually enjoys their work, but rather simply feels compelled to do it." The Bible gives us principles when it comes to work. First, everyone has to work (2 Thessalonians 3:10; Proverbs 16:26). We were made for work physically, mentally and in every other way. Second, there is fulfillment in work (Proverbs 12:11; Ecclesiastes 5:12a). Hard work gives a sense of accomplishment. There are many passages I could cite. Pull out (or click on) any topical Bible and look up work and you’ll see that God expects us to work and work hard. It appears that laziness can be considered a sin.
That being said, “All work and no play makes Bill a dull boy!” The Bible teaches us balance in this arena. Too much or too little work will have repercussions. In Ecclesiastes 1:3, Solomon says, “What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun? (NKJV)” The goal of work should not be for satisfaction but to provide (Proverbs 28:19a). The primary reason God created us was not for work but for relationships with Him and others. When I die, I don’t want my gravestone to read “he worked hard” but that “he loved hard.” When you retire or leave the workforce, it will barely create a ripple. Corporate America will replace you so fast that it will be as if you were never there. I’ve seen this happen time and time again.
Make a commitment this coming year to keep a healthy well-balanced work schedule and invest your time in God, family and friends - not work. They are the ones who will be able to give you their eternal thanks.
Blessings and don’t work too hard!
Bill