Anxiety About Work Day 5 Devotional of 5.

Enjoy work despite anxiety

If the dictionary is right that anxiety comes from uncertainty or lack of control, then anxiety may often be part of your work experience.  

No person has perfect control or certainty about the future. God is the only one with perfect knowledge and power. It’s true that you do have important workplace responsibilities. You plan for contingencies, and you try to know as much as you can about your competitive environment. But in the end, there’s a gap between what you know and the big question mark of the future. That’s always been true. As the writer of Ecclesiastes puts it: “Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come?” (Ecclesiastes 8:7)

This might cause anxiety at work, but it can also be a great source of relief. Since you do not have ultimate control over the outcome of your work, you are free to enjoy what you can and leave the results up to God. The writer of Ecclesiastes urges you to do this, saying, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Your daily work can be an important source of fulfillment, even if the outcome is ultimately out of your hands.

When you accept God’s control over the outcomes of your work, you are more likely to enjoy work as it comes. You can better appreciate the good times at work, and you are relieved to recognize your lack of control in the bad times. The book of Ecclesiastes concludes: it is God’s gift to be able to enjoy your work, not to control it.

Fear, worry, and insecurity have always been a part of the human experience. The Bible does not contain an easy fix for workplace anxiety. Instead, the Bible repeats this simple advice that is easy to say but challenging to follow: Trust God. Do your best at work and let go of the outcome.

Anxieties and difficult situations will come and go at work. But God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. 

Prayer: God, I give you control over my work today in all its troubles and frustrations. Please guide me towards peaceful acceptance of your power. Take charge of the outcome of my work and remove my anxiety. Amen.

Option for Further Exploration: For more insight about work from Ecclesiastes, see the Theology of Work Bible Commentary on Ecclesiastes .

Anxiety at Work Place Devotional Day 4.

Anxiety about bosses and coworkers

Other people can cause anxiety at work. They might be unreliable, let you down in a pinch, or stand in the way of your progress. Or you might have a boss or coworker who is downright hostile. What can you do when other people are the source of your workplace anxiety?

Daniel faced these hardships on the job. He had a boss who was a violent narcissist. His coworkers were actively trying to undermine him. What did Daniel do? He didn’t retaliate or stoop to the political machinations of his coworkers. Instead, Daniel went about his job like normal. He went on “just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10). He went into his room and prayed. He gave thanks to God and asked for God’s help.

Daniel’s prayer did not save him from having to go through trials. Daniel still got thrown into the Lion’s den. But God used Daniel’s ordeal for good. Thanks to Daniel’s faithfulness in the face of opposition, the pagan king ended up praising Daniel’s God. And in the end Daniel prospered in his work in Persia, despite the people problem that had plagued his work environment. 

More importantly, God saved Daniel from anxiety in these times of workplace strife. Daniel did his job: showing up, praying, thanking God, and asking for God’s help. God did the rest of the work, taking care of Daniel and ultimately prospering him in his workplace. 

If you have hostile coworkers or management, ask God for help. Pray for your coworkers. Don’t retaliate or stoop to their level. Show up to do your work as best you can. And think about what you can thank God for in your current circumstances. Your workplace enemies may end up impressed by your faith.

Prayer: God, help me through the trials of working with other people. Protect my character from any attacks. Give me faith when other people hurt me or let me down. I thank you for the opportunity to bring good out of difficult situations. Amen.

Option for Further Exploration: Read more about Daniel’s workplace in the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Today’s Devotional Verse

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. Psalms 107:31‭-‬38 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.107.31-38.KJV

Anxiety About Work 5 Day Devotional Day 3.

Anxiety about success

The benchmarks you face in your job can drive anxiety over success. Are you going to hit your goals this year? Is your company performing as well as its competitors? These questions can feel like a heavy burden to bear, especially if you think success is 100% your own responsibility.

Fortunately, success is not entirely up to you. God has a big hand in whether your plans succeed. Psalm 107 points out that people’s lives and livelihoods depend on many factors out of their control. You do your best, but God is the one who turns your work intro rewards. People “sow fields” on the ground that God waters, and it’s by God’s blessing that “they multiply greatly.” Whether you work on a farm or in the modern workplace, you are not solely responsible for the success of your work. God provides the foundations for successful work, and God is ultimately in charge of the outcome.

You may be anxious not only over short-term projects but about your success in the long term. Climbing the corporate ladder. Running the rat race. If these phrases make your palms sweaty, it may be that you’re anxious to get ahead in your career.

David was a bible character who demonstrated how to give God control over his career. Even though he was promised a leadership position from a very young age, David didn’t rush to oust his boss Saul. Instead, David trusted God to give him the right job at the right time. He eventually became king, but on God’s timing.

Success, whether in the short term or the long term, is a gift from God. The response to success should be, as Psalm 107 puts it, to “thank the Lord for his steadfast love.” On the flip side, if you are anxious about success, remember that God is responsible, not you. God knows what you need. He’s got the timing and the outcome under his control. 

Prayer: Thank you God for knowing what I need today and in the future. I trust in your timing. Help me seek your Kingdom today. Amen.

Option for Further Exploration: For more on God’s work in your success see the Theology of Work Bible Commentary on Psalm 107.   

Day 2 Devotional Verse

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:38‭-‬42 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.10.38-42.KJV