Thursday, February 20, 2025
If you can relate to an office that more closely resembles perdition than a workplace, take heart in knowing that God gives us abundant life — even in the middle of a funky-smelling stress factory.
- Realize joy is tough ... but not impossible
- Jesus’ original followers faced some of the worst situations imaginable with a sense of thanksgiving. In Ephesians 3:1, Paul writes, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians and several of Paul’s letters (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon) were written from prison; it is possible to find joy in the most depressing circumstances you could imagine.
- Prepare your heart before you start your work
- What do you do on your drive to work? Perhaps that’s the best time to start praying for your co-workers, bosses, and environment, or to let God’s Word speak to you.
- Check your attitude throughout the day
- In Philippians 2:5, Paul tells us, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Jesus showed an enormous amount of patience dealing with difficult people, and extending grace is the best way we can show Jesus to our workplace.
- Don’t worry about tasks you might consider below you. Those are times to show your boss that you’re putting the team ahead of yourself.
- Finally, praise God! If you can, listen to worship music or remind yourself of a Bible verse. It’s a great stress killer, and you can share that wisdom with someone who needs it.
- Address the difficult coworker
- When you butt heads with a co-worker, remember that person is as important to God as you are. Settle problems before they become a catastrophe. Take responsibility and work out your problems with humility. You might find the other person is as willing to own up to his or her problems as you are.
- Avoid hypocrisy at all costs
- Some of the worst-behaved people at work may be folks you see at church. When we act foolishly at work, it not only brings down the morale at the office, but it can harden people’s hearts against the Gospel. If you’re predisposed to lashing out in anger or frustration, seek help for those problems. If you notice others in that position, offer to help or listen to their problems.
When we embrace wisdom and take practical steps to honor God at work, we’ll soon see our office lighten up — even if the funky smells persist.