"Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity" Ecclesiastes 2:23
AT THE outset, the issue of Workaholism is not as alarming as alcoholism, but when you look deeper, both the addiction to work and addiction to the substance have had the same effect... it has destroyed many lives!
Solomon labelled all his hard work as meaningless. Do not get me wrong, work is a vital and godly function of man... overworking is the dysfunction! It makes no difference whether you are overworking for God or for the devil... the result is damaging!
Solomon's response to all his hard work was summarized in a litany of regrets. Ponder on Solomon's ‘hugot’ lines {par} …
"I hate all my hard work, I have to leave its fruits to another" v.18
"The other person who will enjoy the fruits of my labour is not as hard working as I am yet he will enjoy all the fruits of my labour" v.19
"My labour is not only painful and grievous; it does not give me rest even at night. v. 23
"The time to enjoy the fruits of your labour is now" v. 24
"Only God can bring enjoyment in our work" v. 25
"Ultimately, it is God who decides where wealth will go. God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy to those who depend upon Him. v. 26
"Those who depend on themselves will be overworked to death, then all their harvest will be given to those who chose to depend upon God."
Pause for a while and ponder on these red flags which show Workaholism is thriving in you without being defensive. With a Quiet Heart, be dependent upon God. With a Quiet Heart, be consulting—not condemning. Here are the red flags:
1. Work becomes your identity instead of an expression of God-given creativity.
2. Perfectionism is the twin of Workaholism.
3. Overwhelming feelings of guilt when we do nothing on our day-off.
4. Strong condemnation against those who enjoy their rest... labelling them as lazy.
How do you face this issue of Workaholism with a Quiet Heart? With a Quiet Heart, pay attention to the red flags of Workaholism. Do not envy a workaholic. Do not flatter the workaholic. Do not condemn the workaholic but do not be influenced by them.
WITH A QUIET HEART, RESPOND IN PRAYER TO ACTUALIZE... a deep Rhythm of Grace into your demanding routine. In prayer, ask God to infuse a Rhythm of Radical Subtraction, meaning, ask God to subtract anything that causes overwork. Believe me, once this prayer is whispered, God, truly, will subtract!
Ask God to infuse the Rhythm of Restful Solitude, meaning, intentionally keeping your distance from the triggers of Workaholism. This includes keeping a polite distance from driven people, creating a wider space for restraint, reflection, repentance and rest. Ask God to infuse the Rhythm of Realistic Surrender, meaning, learn to be willing to delegate really believing that others can do the job at hand. How can others learn to do it if they are not given the chance to prove themselves? By the way, delegation means giving a wider space for mistakes.
With a quiet heart, nurture concrete habits of silence and reflection . . . A TIME FOR JUST DOING NOTHING. Yes, doing nothing is the goal of rest. Remember the recipe below for doing nothing…………….
· SLEEP
· SHUT UP
· SECLUDE
Before you put this article down, ponder and reflect about these remaining insights:
Realize that our hearts are not wired to overwork. It is divinely designed for WORSHIP. When we say we trust the Lord, it means we do not overwork... we delightfully rest. Workaholics work so hard that they offend God and hurt the people they say they love.
Let us conclude with the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Remember, God rested, don't you think we should too? I write from my heart... learning not to overwork.