We live in a frantic, fast and noisy world. We are harassed with meetings, responsibilities, many acquaintances and books on our shelves that we plan to read one day. We are a driven generation. We are addicted to flasks of tea, coffee, Red Bull, nicotine or some stimulant to help us get through our day. Many of us are expected to work Sundays and public holidays. Some have carried over many leave days that we’ll never be able to take them all!
We have become a nation of people who live to work, instead of working to live. Or as someone put it, we have become human doings, not human beings! Ironically, this is happening at a time when you would think life should be more relaxed for us than it was for our ancestors. We can travel farther in an hour than they could. We can chat with people across the seas as if they were next door.
We can prepare a meal in minutes! And yet all our technology has resulted in more pressure on us. With instant messaging, social media, WhatsApp, SMS and roaming phone services, people expect us to be available to them 24/7. The paradox is that despite the abundance of time-saving technology, our lives are more stressful.
As a result, many of us are struggling with the symptoms of burnout. Panic attacks, to-do lists that grow longer no matter how hard you work, a sense of isolation, lack of patience with others, a lack of focus and disillusionment with your job, a sense of restlessness, demoralisation and loss of hope. And maybe also physical symptoms like stomach problems, backaches, headaches and constant illnesses. Do any of these describe you or someone you know? Unlike Jesus who at the end of his successful life said “it is finished”, many of us might end our lives instead with the words, “I am finished!”
This is not God’s desire for you. God wants you to succeed not only in your job, but also in all other areas of your life. As the Good Book says, “And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process?” It’s time to make some radical decisions. Don’t climb all the way up the ladder of success, only to discover too late that it was leaning against the wrong wall.
Photo: Madamenoire.com
