Work–Life Balance. Man’s idea, or God’s?

05/08/2025 | Spirit Christian Counseling |

There are many demands on how a person spends the finite hours they have in a single day: boss, spouse, kids, pastor, and of course…  self. There are also many theories on how to be successful in addressing those demands.  Some call the effort to manage their time “Work/Life Balance.” Newer theories have introduced a concept called Work/Life “Rhythm” or “Harmony.” As a faith-based professional therapist, I have to wonder if a Spirit-led approach would differ from a psychological, social, or organizational management one. Especially in terms of difficulty or desired outcome goals?

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR THEORIES

Before 1926 the average work week was 6 days per week, and the average worker labored 60-80hrs. In 1926, Henry Ford made empirical observations that led him to believe reducing expectations from 60 hours a week (six 10-hour days) to a 40 hour workweek (five 8-hour days) would make a difference. It resulted in noticeable increase in productivity as well as a reduction in production expenses: waste, re-work, sick time, etc.[v], [vi], [vii]

Almost 100 years later, a 2020 Analysis of 4,197 Korean workers seemed to confirm Ford’s observations. They suggested that working more than 52 hours-per-week was associated with higher health-related productivity losses. These loses, as compared to a 40-hour workweek, were due to absenteeism (5.1%) and presenteeism (6.6%), respectively.[viii]  The effects are not limited to the work environment or productions costs. Additional research has suggested a connection between “excessive” work hours and sickness: death, heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders.[ix] Henry Ford’s observations were not just important to keep his employees happy, they kept his employees alive and healthy.

HISTORICALLY PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

Initially work/life balance meant maintaining work and home efforts within two clear time limits: going to work for 8-hours, and going home to family and personal projects for 8-hours, which left 8 hours for sleep.  The challenge was in maintaining boundaries between these blocks when demands in one area required more time than allowed for.[x]

In the 1970’s a concept called “Flex-Time” was introduced. The idea was to allow employees to shift their working schedules to accommodate personal life requirements by coming in early and leaving early, or vice-versa.[xi] Then during the COVID outbreak, much of the workforce had to work from home. The 8 hour “work block” was dissolved into work-tasks and home-tasks that are performed interchangeably when there is a time-slot for them – the basis for Work-Life Harmony or Rhythm.

THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Given the multiple ideas from the business community, my thoughts move to the question “What does Scripture say on the topic?” Scripture depicts Work and Rest as gifts presented by a God who loves humans, cares for them, and desires fullness of life for them. In this context, work is a gift from God to man given before the fall, and not a “bad” or sinful thing.[xii]Believers are to work as if they work for God: diligent, honest, and fair.[xiii] [xiv]

Scripture describes Rest as taking time to focus on God, His gifts, and a human position of joy in His care. God specifically designed rest periods in the course of a year for his children to stop and take notice of God’s Goodness showered on each of them.[xv]

Worship is just what believers do in both work and rest.  The expectation is that Believers will wisely manage their money and the time He has given them. The question becomes how to bring rest, work, worship together in a way that is healthy and healing to man, and glorifying to God?

SCRIPTURE APPLICATION

Given these definitions, one might ask, “what about worship?”  The answer being that both work and rest, from this perspective, are forms of worship of God. Scripture calls believers to be employees of God no matter what organization hires them – church, corporation, factory, dairy farm, whatever. Taking the perspective of “God is my boss” and asking Him for His opinion in every decision, just as one might a human boss, is a form of worship. Defining rest to include sleep, celebration, enjoyment of the fruit of one’s labor, enjoyment of God’s labor & gifts, also is a form of worship. 

From this perspective, what I as a believer must do next is up to God, my boss. Given that He would want work to be productive, and that He loves my family and my children more than I do, and He leads his children to rest, He will not abandon my family or me for the sake of work. The difficult concept for me is that it is not all up to me, but with God all things are possible, and thru Christ, and His body (other believers), I can do all things.

In this application, the focus shifts from work versus home, to corruption versus peace. Caution is critical to precent worship from becoming humanly corrupted into a “works” versus “faith” focus, e.g. “If everything I do is an act of Worship, the I should do more… and can never do enough, right?”  

It is this mindset that can lead volunteers to over commit and eventually burn-out or experience physiological reactions to prolonged stress. This mindset can be especially dangerous when individuals work in ministry.[xvi] It is very important to repeatedly ask themselves: are they working for God? Scripture has shown that when God leads, there are rest breaks (Ps23), and relationships grow healthier, not weaker.[xvii]

Gary Thomas describes several important “Warning Signs.” He points out that the warning signs are not necessarily “sinful” but can set one up for “poisonous” acts. The warning signs include: Lonely, Tired, and Joy-less.  All three are reminiscent of the H.A.L.T. Acronym used in AA, which stands for: “Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.

“if you are consistently lonely, it is a sign of being out of balance and it should be taken seriously. Second is tiredness. When we are tired we succumb to emotions like anger, treat others improperly, give less to our relationships, and become more vulnerable to temptation. So a consistently tired body is something to be concerned about. Last but not least is a lack of joy. The mark of a Christian is to have great joy with what God has done for us. If everything appears like drudgery to us, then what kind of gospel are we proclaiming?”[xviii]

PROPOSAL

So what is to be done with this information. Some might be asking “but you haven’t told me how much time I have to spend in each area.”  This question focuses on the obligation, on the “have to.” This focus can lead to a life where worship is just more work – “I have to go to church, I have to lead a bible study, I have to …” We haven’t even begun to factor in home and family obligations. How much time is set aside to truly Rest? The answer is not to look for a checkbox to gain God’s approval. He already loves you; and don’t forget, even Jesus took time away from work and family to rest in God’s presence.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What might happen if family members tithed their waking hours for time to rest in God’s presence: at the park, on a mountain, in a den, taking a walk around the block and talking to an invisible Spirit? This would represent 1.5 hours a day, to stop, be quiet, and know God. This challenge might be most difficult to pastors and staff, where worship is literally the work they do. I have to wonder how balanced a life would be if 90 minutes was spent talking to the creator of the universe, who not only loves me, but knows how to get things done?

Fro this perspective, the challenge for the church shifts. It becomes: how to train staff as well as congregants on how to maintain a healthy balanced rhythms while communing with God. How to remain irefreshed in each area and avoid burn-out. This effort would include teaching church staff to use the “worship” time for their personal and family worship and rest, and not another leadership effort.

The challenge for individuals becomes not just maintaining the numbers, but in actually stopping to recognizing God’s contribution in one’s life, counting blessings while resting, enjoying communion with God while in worship and service, communicating with God in everyday work and home efforts. 

If you need help staying refreshed, or in healing from burn out, we would like to help. Call us here at Spirit Christian Counseling. We would love to come along side you and walk with you in your journey. You are not alone.

[i] Genesis 2:23-25

[ii] Genesis 2:15

[iii] Exodus 28:1, Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:1-11

[iv] Romans 13:1

[v] Robinson E. (2005) Why crunch mode doesn’t work: 6 lessons. IGDA Retrieved Feb 17, 139.

[vi] Golden L. (2012) The effects of working time on productivity and firm performance, research synthesis paper. International Labor Organization (ILO) Conditions of Work and Employment Series.

[vii] Industrial Health. 2024 Jan 29;62(4):281-283. Doi: 10.2486/indhealth.2023-0191 “Working hours and labour productivity from the occupational medicine perspective Mo-Yeol KANG., PMCID: PMC11292309 PMID: 38281743

[viii] Lee DW, Lee J, Kim HR, Kang MY. (2020) Association of long working hours and health-related productivity loss, and its differential impact by income level: a cross-sectional study of the Korean workers. J Occup Health 62, e12190.

[ix] The association between long working hours and health: A systematic review of epidemiological evidence., by Bannai A, Tamakoshi A. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3388 | Published online: 07 Oct 2013, Issue date: 01 Jan 2014.

[x] i.e. tax season for accountants, or sick parent or child requiring hospitalization.

[xi] “Unmasking the other face of flexible working practices: A systematic literature review,” Lebene Richmond Soga, Yemisi Bolade-Ogunfodun, Marcello Mariani, Rita Nasr, Benjamin Laker., Journal of Business Research. Vol. 142, March 2022, 648-662

[xii] Feature Article: Work Life Balance – How shall a Christian Professional then live?  Posted on March 21, 2025. 
To offer business professionals a first person reflection on the issue of work life balance by Christian business leaders, the Center for Christianity in Business at Houston Baptist University convened a panel discussion on Work.


Under Work-Life balance, the focus was to keep work tasks in the work time block, and life tasks in the life block. In Harmony and Rhythm theories the focus shifts to task isolation, completion, and integration. Many of the suggested remedies revolve around prioritization, and continual re-prioritization of tasks:[xii]

  1. Question assumptions (de-normalize) – Do I REALLY have to work this many hours to stay gainfully employed? What am I sacrificing to be at work right now? What is the priority/value that work is meeting by me being here more than 40 hours a week?
  2. Re-defining success from long-hours to outcomes, creativity, or innovation.[xii]
  3. Pay attention to emotions and body sensations
  4. Prioritize and Take time to reprioritize – was the initial priority given still accurate?  Clarify values to make prioritization meaningful. [xii]
  5. Consider alternatives – Do I really have to be the only one that can perform this task or make this decision?
  6. Maintain flexible boundaries – e.g. “no work zones during meal times.”

[xiii] Col 3:23-24. Believers are to be diligent (Pv 22:29), and fair (Pv 20:23)

[xiv] The Surprising Link Between Biblical Advice and Work-Life Balance.. Ross Stevension, Aug 5, 2024.

[xv] Genesis: God creates (Gen1:3-5a), there is an evening then a morning (Gen 1:5b), God creates more (Gen 1:6-8a), then there is an evening and a morning (Gen 1:8b). This rhythm suggests a break, an evening to morning, where work is done and a transition occurs before the next day’s work continues – and God stops to appreciate the work He completed (Gen 1:12, 18, 21, 31). This cycle repeats (Gen1:13, 19, 23, &31) until the 7th day when God specifically “rests” (Gen 2:2).

Observations from the example of God guiding Israel through the wilderness: Numbers 9:15-23 outlines how God guided Israel as they traveled – they rested when the column was over the tabernacle, and journeyed when the column moved. The Scripture specifically identifies that they were given breaks from overnight, to several days, even a year – when the column stopped, they stopped. 

Moses was specifically told not to do the job all by himself.

Sabbaths, when work is specifically prohibited: 1 day per week,: 1 day . wk (Lev 23:3, Ex20:8-11, Deut 5:12-15). Seven Feasts, two of which are 7 days long: (Lev 23), 7th year of jubilee.

In each of these celebrations there is a focus on the goodness of God in the narrative of the celebration, but there is also a dependence on God, especially in the year of jubilee, when God provides for a whole year.

[xvi] Amankwa, Eric. “Examining the Effects of Work-Life Balance on the Psychological and Physical Well-Being of Pastors in the United States.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 4, no.8 (2023): 903-915.  https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2023481

[xvii] Feature Article: Work Life Balance – How shall a Christian Professional then live?  Posted on March 21, 2025. 
To offer business professionals a first person reflection on the issue of work life balance by Christian business leaders, the Center for Christianity in Business at Houston Baptist University convened a panel discussion on Work Life Balance on September 30, 2011

“Life balance is not just about ourselves but our families, too. If we go, our family goes with it. The church will be affected and so will be our fellow believers and their witness in the business community.”

Working for God, Or working for a human organization designed to change the world by teaching and encouraging others to worship?  The first position can be fulfilling, as we watch God work, and join Him. The second can be a draining and exhausting path to burn out, because the effort is human, just like any other corporation, trying to change the world in one’s own power. If work and rest constantly return us to a deepening relationship with God, His Character leads the effort, rather than human desire to accomplish or achieve.  

[xviii] Feature Article: Work Life Balance – How shall a Christian Professional then live?  Posted on March 21, 2025. 
To offer business professionals a first person reflection on the issue of work life balance by Christian business leaders, the Center for Christianity in Business at Houston Baptist University convened a panel discussion on Work Life Balance on September 30, 2011