When Productivity Meets Idolatry

I have always strived to be productive. As a little girl, I worked hard to keep up with my homework, piano practice, and art classes. I could always be counted on to show up and serve at my local youth group. I filled all my spare hours working a part-time job, participating in the school musical, and hanging out with friends.

As I grew, I saw that productivity was highly valued in adulthood too—and especially in motherhood. At work, church, the school pick-up line, and out in the community, the lure of the highly productive Proverbs 31 woman was strong. I wanted to be called “blessed” by my children and be “praised” by my husband, church, or social media following (Proverbs 31:28-31). I loved hearing those magical words: “You’re a superwoman! I don’t know how you do it!”

Productivity’s Promises

Productivity certainly promises me a lot: “Imagine how good you’ll feel when you cross that off the list!” she says to me. On the rare occasion that everything on the list has been crossed off, she nudges, “Why don’t you get ahead and write tomorrow’s list?” When tomorrow’s list has been drafted, she prods, “Well, don’t forget the projects you’ve been sidelining for years. Why not add those to the list while it’s short (for once)?”

I nod and pant after her—because she promises me peace when it’s all done. She promises me rest when there’s no more list. “Hard work will pay off,” Productivity reassures me.

Occasionally, the sense of achievement I receive tastes really good. I feel proud and accomplished. But those feelings don’t last long. The thrill of marking things “done” wears off as soon as the tick is on the page. Instead of arriving at the satisfaction I seek, I’m usually met with condemnation for not being good enough. Where is this peace I seek? Where is this rest I long for?

Productivity’s Perversion

Productivity has become a lifelong idol for me, dangling sweet rewards but never delivering. Idolatry turns good things (like productivity) into deadly things, as they take the place in our hearts reserved for a different Savior and Redeemer. 

Do you, like me, hear this idol’s taunts and accusations?

“If only you spent less time daydreaming, you’d have this done already.”

“If only you worked as you’d planned in the evening—instead of accidentally falling asleep with the baby—you’d feel much more accomplished.”

“How can you say you’re being faithful when you aren’t achieving all the things you set out to achieve?”

“How can you rest when there’s a mountain of work still to do (some of which you haven’t even thought of yet)?”

The idol of Productivity often masks herself behind the semblance of “faithfulness.” She compares you with other moms and shames you for how your costumes and birthday parties look next to theirs. She tells you that dinner didn’t hit the table soon enough, you should have been more efficient at the grocery store, and your creative outlet isn’t worth pursuing because it doesn’t generate income. She criticizes you for napping and sneers at your embarrassing piles of dirty dishes and unfolded laundry.

She cripples us with her expectations. She paralyzes us with her judgment. The more we want to please her, the more we realize we could never, ever keep up with her demands. What a harsh master she makes.

Our True Master

But you know what? It’s a good thing the idol of Productivity shows us her true colors because it leads us to whom we really should run.

Jesus says to us instead, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He invites us into a relationship with the living God—the God who:

• Cares for us—so we can cast all our anxieties on him.[1]

• Sustains us—so we don’t have to grit our teeth and try harder.[2]

• Works and rests—so we can image him in both.[3]

• Shepherds us day by day—so we can be utterly dependent on him.[4]

How wildly different this is from the self-sufficient, never-tiring, always-busy creatures we think we ought to be!

Instead of demands, this Master offers us rest and peace—freely.[5] We don’t have to work for them. He has done all the work for us. What good news!

Jesus Redeems Productivity

Yes, we are still called to be faithful in our various stations in life. We are called to do the good work God has set out for us to do.[6] We might even use productivity tools and lists to help us. But we can do so with peace, rest, and joy in our souls because we are not looking to them to give us what Jesus has already won.

Christ died to save us from our bondage to our idols—including the idol of productivity. He paid in full our penalty on the cross 2000 years ago, so there is now no condemnation left.[7] And he will continue to work in us to change us into his own likeness,[8] helping us live out our freedom from other masters more and more each day. 

Because of him, we can rest—trusting our identity is secure, no matter how productive or unproductive we are.

Because of him, we can work hard—serving our family one faithful step at a time.

Because of him, we can breathe—knowing that our success as moms doesn’t depend on whether or not we get through our to-do lists.

Precious friend, Jesus is a better master than productivity can ever be. So let’s joyfully leave our idolatry and lean on his labors instead.

[1] 1 Peter 5:7

[2] Psalm 55:22

[3] Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:2-3

[4] Psalm 23

[5] Matthew 11:29

[6] Ephesians 2:10

[7] Romans 8:1

[8] Romans 8:29

[9] 1 Peter 4:11