A Biblical Perspective on the work life balance

Our Society today

 We live in a society that is moving fast forward, Our culture is results driven. Fueled by the industry's obsession with productivity and competitiveness; we are constantly pushed to perform beyond our limits. Many people view rest rather as the opposite of productivity than a process in productivity, indeed our work life balance  has been interrupted by the increasing demands of life and the pressure to do more. Many a man are close to breaking point in the work day, majority report back home exhausted and collapse on their bed only to wake up to the same cycle of events. They then carry on the stress to church on Sabbath Morning only to concentrate  very little in worship. Jesus Christ the greatest teacher Ever to live called forth his disciples after a day's work to "Come apart into a desert place and rest a while"( Mark 6:31). How Christ would love that we heed this counsel and create time in our daily schedule to rest, meditate and reflect upon His blessings for our life.

Cherishing the Biblical Perspective 

"Seven days has God placed upon the earth. Six days wherein ye shall labor and do all thy work and the seventh day a day of rest"( Genesis 2:1). Think about it, each week brings approximately 168 precious hours. We spend approximately 56 hours sleeping and recuperating, 40-50 hours earning a living, 28 hours for eating and personal duties. There are about 30-40 hours left to do what we wish, how are we spending them? Are we getting overworked or we are underworking? The Bible gives 3 categories of Individuals 

1. The Workaholics

The Workaholic believes every minute not spent doing active work is wasted time. To him rest is a crime and his life speaks to that. His life is a compact diary of dates, expectations and demands on his time that he barely has space to take a breathe and reflect upon life. To him God give the counsel "Labour not to be rich, cease from thine own wisdom" "Hell and destruction are never full so the eyes of man are never satisfied ( Proverbs 23:4; 27:20)

The Workaholic needs to understand that there's more to life than moving fast and  that rest is part of productivity. The old saying "Work without play makes Jack a dull boy" is for the Workaholic to ponder upon.

2. The worthless

There are individuals who have made to themselves a vow to oversleep, fold hands and wait for bread to fall from heaven. The Bible describes such group in Proverbs 6:6-10.  The sluggard always has a reason for not doing work and for being a beggar. " The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing" Proverbs 20:4

The Bible gives counsel to the sluggard to love not sleep and to open his eyes before poverty knocks( Proverbs 20:13)

The Wise

The worker who harbors a wise world view of work is described by the Bible as a diligent worker. He works while trusting in God's Providence. The diligent is promised a place before Kings( Proverbs 22:29). To him is promised riches as in measure that God sees best( Proverbs 12:24; 10:4)

Final Appeal

The Bible holds work as a matter of Faith not a Matter of self gratification. Whereas work gives us fulfillment, it's a test of our faith. Paul speaks to Timothy and fellow Christians in this regard "But if any provide not for his own and specially for those of his house, he has denied the faith and is worse than and infidel( 1 Timothy 5:8)

As you check on your work schedule, below are guidelines concerning rest and time management 

Put a quiet time on your agenda everyday where you reflect, meditate and commune with God

Cultivate stress management techniques, it's key to aiding a good sleep 

Increase physical activity to at least 30 mins a day in a minimum of 4 days of the week. Exercise releases Endorphins (Happy hormones) and inhibits the release of stress hormones like cortisol

Plan your month, day and week. 

When faced with large task! break them into smaller tasks that you can accomplish realistically within a given time frame

Sabbath is a special time; It brings with it the blessings of the 3Rs; Rest, Reflection and Rejoicing.Make sure you spend sufficient time doing all three. Ensure that your Sabbath is not over packed with activities that strain you instead of uplifting your spiritual life. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us there's a time for everything and a season for every purpose under heaven. Verses 2-8 goes on to list for us the various things man engages in. Realizing what to focus on, at the right time and in the right measure shall surely yield a life of peace and satisfaction to everyone. May God bless us all as we work faithfully.