Lenten Prayer Series, Day 1 (5)
BIBLICAL ADVICE FOR LENT, WORK-RELATED ISSUES
1: Talk to your boss about it.
As far as possible, give your boss the benefit of doubt, especially if either one of you is new or things between the both of you weren’t this way before. Perhaps your boss is going through a rough time and is not aware of how his attitude is affecting the staff and work. Or maybe it could be due to a miscommunication or a mismatch of expectations. Doing this, I believe, is one way to show respect and reverence for our bosses (1 Peter 2:17). When things started getting challenging at work, I remember having numerous sessions with my boss where I tried to articulate how I felt as well as see things from her perspective. That said, this may not always change things, especially if your boss is not one to take feedback well or could never see himself as the problem—which brings me to my next point.
2. Remember who’s really in control – God
I remember nights where I would curl up in bed, writing down my prayers and crying out to God to help me to do my work for Him and not for the approval of my boss (Col 3:23-24). During one of those down moments, I wrote this in my journal: “Lord, for the first time, I’m actually dreading going back to work. I didn’t think this would be a problem I would face, but since my boss’s recent comments about my work, I’ve been affected and I just dread the thought of receiving emails from her about the same issues again. God, you’ve taught me since young to trust you, honor you above all else, work heartily for you and not men – I pray that you will help me to let go of whatever bitterness and unhappiness I have towards her and just focus on you.”
3. Find like-minded colleagues or friends who can support you.
I thank God for fellow Christian colleagues and churchmates who counselled me and reminded me of God’s sovereignty and love throughout this time, some of whom have become my closest friends as a result. Don’t bottle up all your frustrations and grievances and suffer in silence. Find a mature and caring friend who can pray for you and counsel you; God has given us brothers and sisters in Christ who love us and will journey with us through difficult times (Proverbs 17:17). In time, you may be the one to provide support and counsel to another fellow believer in a similar situation.