Reclaim Life/Work Balance
René Schlaepfer
Part of Ready for a Restart
April 25, 2021

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Work was part of paradise (Gen. 2:15). Work will be part of heaven (Isaiah 65:17-21). Yet work is a burden to many…

“I undertook great projects… (but) I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 2:4,17

For fulfilling, productive work that does not take over my life:

  1. Reframe the
    Reveal Answer
    of my work
    Steady plodding brings prosperity… Proverbs 21:5 LB

    Do not wear yourself out to get rich… Proverbs 23:4

    Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work… Deuteronomy 5:12-14a


  2. Reframe the
    Reveal Answer
    of my work
    You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way… 2 Corinthians 9:11

    We are ambassadors for Christ … 2 Corinthians 5:20

    Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands… Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live…1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NLT

    When a farmer plows for planting… When he has leveled the surface…Does he not plant wheat in its spot, barley in its plot, and spelt in its field? His God instructs him and teaches him the right way… Then grain must be ground to make bread… All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent. Isaiah 28:24-29


  3. Reframe the
    Reveal Answer
    of my work
    Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23,24

The way to ultimate rest:
The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3a

QUESTIONS for personal reflection or group discussion

  1. Bill Butterworth says there are three common ways work becomes unfulfilling:
    • The hazies: When I am unclear about the purpose of my work and life
    • The crazies: When I work an insane amount of hours
    • The lazies: When I am unmotivated to work hard and do a good job.
      Which one of these have you felt most recently?
  2. Read Colossians 3:23,24. How can thinking of Jesus as your boss help you deal with the hazies, crazies, and lazies?
  3. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. How can a believer live and work in such a way as to win the respect of those who are not believers? Why is this important?
  4. . Read Deuteronomy 5:12-15. Does it surprise you that taking a day to rest is one of the Ten Commandments? Is this hard or easy for you to follow?
  5. How sustainable is the work/life mix you are juggling now? What could you do to make it more sustainable? Is God making you aware of anything important you need to change or try?

RESOURCES

For further reading
- John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
- Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work

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