Not Even God Can Go Without Rest
written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done.”
The Japanese people are in crisis. It is almost a disease. It is overwork. Large numbers of Japanese people are dying each year from overwork. These otherwise healthy adults are working so many extra hours to the point that exhaustion is causing healthy people to commit suicide or succumb to heart failure. The Japanese even have a name for the crisis, "Karoshi."
The Japanese are expected to work extremely long hours, with high intensity. They are raised to be corporate warriors and to give their all to the corporation. In 2016 alone, 2,000 individuals died from Karoshi in Japan. Globally, in 2021, 750,000 died from the syndrome. Karoshi leaves individuals isolated and exhausted. There is no time left to raise children properly.
The roots of Karoshi go back to the end of World War II. People had to pick up the pieces of their nation and begin again. It took an enormous commitment to rebuild from the rubble. It took every person working themselves to death to move the country forward. Overwork is considered patriotic in Japan. Many Japanese families are left scared by loss and trying to find answers to the epidemic.
God knew the value of rest. Even the Creator of the ends of the Universe needed to rest. Overwork isn't only a worry in Japan. We Americans also struggle with overwork. It takes a toll on our families and our health. Today, evaluate your health and well-being. Are you working too many hours at the expense of your family and your health? Do you need to change your beliefs on the issue? Sacrificing your marriage, children, faith, and health for your work isn't tough and virtuous. If God can't do it, neither can we!
(Devotion was originally printed on Nov. 16, 2017)
