Working a Corporate Job is Ministry

By Olivia Howland

Hi there! My name is Olivia Howland and I work at Amazon in Seattle. As of this post, I am fairly new to the working world, but I feel like I am already seeing the difficulties and the triumphs of bringing God into the workplace.

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’” Matthew 9:36-38

I used to think that if I wasn’t going into vocational ministry then I wasn’t listening to God’s plan for my life. I remember thinking, ‘Why wouldn’t God want me to progress His kingdom through ministry? That must be His plan for my life!’

What I learned much later was that every job, conversation, and encounter can be used to further His kingdom and is a ministry. I learned that He needs laborers in every field and aspect of life to reach the people that others can’t. The person working at Starbucks will reach and interact with a different group of people than the person working in a research lab.

God designed every one of us with specific talents, abilities, and skills and we get to honor Him by using and putting those into practice.

Every Part of Work Can Be Used For God’s Glory

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  1 Corinthians 10:31

Everything we do, every email we send at work, the lunch date we can set up with a co-worker, or our work ethic can be used for His glory. By working alongside people who don’t yet know the Lord can be extremely rewarding.

God gives us opportunities to be with co-workers for 40+ hours a week and that gives others a chance to witness our lives as believers.

Because we have Jesus in our hearts our reaction to things that go on around us is naturally different. When something at work goes well, we thank and praise God for the job that He has given us. The confidence we have when approaching our work allows us to be successful in our jobs. Instead of relying on our own strength, we rely on His.

And when things go wrong at work, or not how we intended, with God, it is so much easier to bounce back from the disappointment. We can ask Him what can be learned and how we can let the stress roll off of us. If we remember that our managers aren’t ultimately in charge, but our Heavenly Father is, our godly response to challenges will be evident to the people around us. There is no doubt in my mind that people around us see the difference in how we handle successes and failures.

Engage With Those Around You

Now I’ll admit, I’ve had little success with this next section in my time at Amazon thus far. Asking God for inspiration is something that has been consistently on my prayer list. I’ve tried everything from wearing a cross necklace to having Christian-like stickers on my water bottle, etc.

While none of these things have led to a God-centered conversation yet, I realize there are other ways to invite conversation about Him.

When I consider how Jesus might interact with my team if He were on it, the first thing that strikes me about His character is His compassion. He has compassion for people because he sees them for who they are.

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them.” Matthew 9:36

In the workplace, I strive to see people in their season of life. I get to know their character and personality and that ultimately leads to growing empathy towards them. After observing my co-workers, I can then see their strengths, their weaknesses, and places where they might want help. When I get to know them, it’s possible for me to see them as children of God.

For example, I observed my manager one day and saw how stressful his job is and how hard he works. So I thanked him for the work insights he gave me and for taking time out of his schedule to make me feel comfortable in my new role. Rather than being overwhelmed by my new position, I was overwhelmed with compassion for my boss as Jesus might have been.

The next thing that I’ve observed in the Gospel is that Jesus is the ultimate interviewer. Time and time again, He asks people about their lives, asks them to think about situations, and is curious about them as individuals.

Did Jesus know the answers to the questions he was asking? Of course, but He showed up curious anyway and displayed interest in everyone that came across his path without exception. He was bold in asking tough questions and encouraged people to arrive at their own answers.

Sp I’ve started asking questions like “how was your weekend?” and “how did you end up at Amazon?” and “what gives you life outside of work?”. When we show interest in the lives of our co-workers, we are telling them that they are important and that we care about them as people.

I think being like Jesus in the workplace means being open to and actively creating opportunities to bring Jesus into the space.

And when I have no words to say in those moments, I will trust that:

“For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Luke 12:12

How to Find Rest When You’re At Work:

The last way you can walk out your faith at work is through resting! What? Rest at work?

God created rest so we could recharge and do our work well. He saw the importance in rest and wanted us to do the same by setting a perfect example from the beginning. While resting on the Sabbath is what this verse is referring to I believe it is possible to find rest at work.

1) Devo at the Desk

Starting my day with a devotional at my desk has been a tangible way of inviting God into my workplace. Before I log in to my computer, answer any emails or pick up a phone, I go to Him to set the intention of my day. I have the devotional The Songs of Jesus by Tim Keller and read one page to get in the right mindset and REST in His presence. It gives me a new perspective and peace for the busy day ahead and is also a great conversation starter for people wondering about the random book they see on my desk.

2) Don’t Skip Lunch

As I look around at coworkers, I notice that there are many people who either eat their lunch at their desk or work straight through lunch. I believe that this is precious time to re-energize and refuel. God doesn’t want us to be burnt out! One way I combat fatigue is by walking around, getting some fresh air, and taking my mind off work for a second. There will always be work, so it’s healthy to make boundaries for yourself and know when to stop.

Three Takeaways About Bringing God Into the Workplace

1) Every Part of Work Can Be Used For God’s Glory: Recognize that everything you get to do is because of the skills and abilities that He gave you. Praise Him in the highs and lean on His power in the lows.

2) Engage With Those Around You: Ask questions like Jesus would have, and show compassion to your coworkers! We don’t always get to pick the people in our workplace, but we get to decide how we want to interact with them.

3) Rest. Bring a devotional to work and take your full lunch. Rest in God’s presence at work because He is with you there.

A Prayer for Those In Corporate Jobs

God,

Thank you for giving each and every one of us a calling, skills, and talents to use at work. We praise You for giving us confidence in what we do. Thank you for having it all together when we don’t, and for showing us that You are with us in all circumstances. Teach us what it looks like to work hard for You and not for our managers, our coworkers, or even ourselves and our reputation. Show us what it looks like to be laborers in the harvest and in the place of work where You have so carefully called each of us. Thank You for being the perfect example of work and rest and for allowing us to experience peace instead of striving without peace. Lord, be with us in each of our fields of work and show us each day what your full kingdom looks like by appreciating our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and their individual career paths You have called them to.

Love,

Your Daughter