One corporate leader said workers should work 70 hours a week, and another affirmed that it should be 90 hours weekly. On social media, one woman said that she had experienced anxiety, and sleeplessness, and would cry in the bathroom working 90 hours a week. Another commented, why should we sacrifice for you to become rich? Profit makers wish their employees to endure sleepless nights to make them richer.
Work and workaholics: God has created humans with the capacity to work. Like sleep, work is also essential, good, and beneficial. Paul advises disciples of the Lord, not to eat, if they do not work. (II Thessalonians 3:10) However, when work becomes an obsession, negligence in other areas of life happens. Personal health, family relations, social life, Sabbath rest, and spiritual life. Do not destroy the body that is the temple of the Holy Spirit by being a workaholic.
Compelled to work: There are unrighteous exploiters like Laban, who exploited his son-in-law Jacob to work for twenty years. Of many issues, Jacob states that his sleep went off his eyes. (Genesis 31:40) That means he did have overwork without additional remuneration, sacrificed his personal comforts, and lost sleep. Many employers extract work from people, ignoring their welfare.
Voluntary workaholics: There are some voluntary workaholics. A slave was free to go after seven years of service in the ancient days of Israel. However, some slaves choose not to go free as they love their master, and others may love their work. (Exodus 21:6) Sadly, the love for work or the master is taken advantage of by others, leaving them shattered.
Workaholics for the Kingdom: Certainly, there are workaholics for the Kingdom of God. Many missionaries serving in least-reached areas must work hard. For example, Missionary doctors are overburdened as there is no medical facility in the vicinity. Paul was one such workaholic that he lost his sleep, had anxiety regarding the churches he planted and associated with, and desired to reach the known world of the Roman Empire.
Am I a workaholic for the Kingdom or the world?