Devotions/YouVersion – Called To Work

69. Tuning into God – Mindfulness

January 19, 2026

Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:25-34

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to what you’re paying attention to right now.

Focusing on the here and now helps you tune into God – wherever you might find God in the present moment.

It’s hard to tune into God when you’re preoccupied with worries about the future. When Jesus taught his followers to let go of their anxiety, he pointed out concrete examples in the world they could see all around them. The flowers in the field and the birds flying overhead aren’t troubled by worry. When you practice mindfulness, you become more like birds and flowers – present and attuned to God’s provision.

You might start a mindfulness practice by paying attention to the natural world you see around you. If your mind starts to wander into the future, gently bring it back to the present moment.

You can practice mindfulness by being fully present to whatever you experience in the moment, whether it’s birds flying overhead or the work project in front of you.

In the introduction to “The Devout Life,” St. Francis de Sales describes the spiritual discipline this way: “If you have gone astray, quietly bring your soul back to the presence of God.”

Practice mindfulness:

· Take a moment to still your body and mind. If thoughts about the future trouble you, give yourself permission to put those issues on hold.

· Pay attention to what you’re paying attention to right now.

· Let go of the need to judge it – just give the present moment your full attention.

· Thank God for sharing this moment with you.

Prayer: God, sustain me in this present moment as you sustain all of your creation.

Further Exploration: Read about what a mindful workplace looks like.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

68. Tuning into God – Still Your Body

January 12, 2026

Scripture Reding: Psalms 46:10

Tension may show up in your body before you’re even aware of it in your mind. A knot in the pit of your stomach or a furrowed brow may be your best indicator that something’s wrong.

When you feel ill at ease, it could be you’re walking into a broken situation where you need God’s perspective. Or it could be your own fear, anger, or judgement that’s coming between you and God. The practice of stilling your body and scanning for tension can be a good step to tuning into God’s wisdom.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God!” The Hebrew verb “raphah” which is translated as “be still” literally means “to let something drop, to let go, or to abandon something.”

When you find tension in your body – something that keeps you from being comfortably still – maybe there’s something you need to let go of. It could be an underlying fear that you need to give to God, or a response like anger or judgement that you need to ask God to forgive. Or it could be you’re facing a difficult situation and you need to prayerfully reflect about what next steps you can take.

Ask God to help you address the root cause of your tension. Then ask God to give you his stillness.

Practice stilling your body:

· Close your eyes and scan your body from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head. Where do you notice pain or tension?

· Ask God: What does this tension mean?

· Let it go. Practically, this might mean forgiving someone, or asking for forgiveness, or praying about what next step you can take to restore a broken situation.

· Ask God to take away the tension and help you relax.

· Take a few slow breaths until you feel calm and still.

Prayer: God, still my body, and let me know you.

Further Exploration: Read an interview with author Lauren Winner on being still.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

67. Tuning into God – Practice the Jesus Breath Prayer

January 5, 2026

Scripture Reading: Genesis 2:7

Your breath can be a powerful connection to God.

With his own breath, God made the first man come alive. A practice of tuning into God through your breath can remind you that everything good – including life – is a gift from your creator.

Many ancient meditative practices focus on slowing down and paying attention to your breath. One such prayer was described in “The Way of the Pilgrim” in the 19th century. It’s called “The Jesus prayer” because with every breath you recognize your need for Jesus as a savior.

The Jesus Prayer uses your natural breath pattern to meditate on the words “Lord Christ, have mercy on me.” On each inhale you say the words “Lord Christ,” and on each exhale you say, “Have mercy on me.”

This phase comes from Luke 18:38, in which the man who calls out to Jesus is healed.

You can try the prayer with other phrases that remind you of your reliance on God. For example, you could repeat the words “Father… I belong to you” which comes from Psalm 73:23. Another phrase which is used by prophets in the Bible is “Lord… here I am” (Isaiah 6:8, 1 Samuel 3:4).

Practice the Jesus Breath Prayer:

· Breath in and repeat the words, “Lord Christ.”

· Breath out and repeat the words, “Have mercy on me.”

· Repeat this prayer 10 times, or until your breathing becomes calm and slow.

Prayer: Lord, every breath I take comes from you. Help me connect with you, the source of my life.

Further Exploration: Read about using prayer triggers as reminders to tune into God .

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

66. Tuning into God – Tuning into God Through Work

December 29, 2025

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Nearly every moment of every day, dozens of different demands compete for your attention.

Your boss says, “Do this now!” Social media screams, “Look over here!” The people you love clamor for your time. With all these voices, it can be hard to hear the quiet leading of God.

Tuning into God is a spiritual discipline. It’s a muscle you need to flex in order to make it stronger. This plan presents four practices you can use to turn down the volume on the other voices that surround you and turn up the volume on God.

Listening practices are spiritual because they cultivate a different kind of hearing. As 1 Corinthians 2 says, God can’t be seen with normal eyes or heard with normal ears. God can only be revealed through the Spirit.

You can practice tuning into God’s Spirit no matter where you are, including at work.

Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth century monk, learned to connect with God through his day-to-day labor. As he worked in the monastery kitchen, Brother Lawrence trained himself to view his work as something he was doing with God. While he washed dishes, he thought about how much he loved God and how much God loved him. This turned his work into an act of prayer – something that he and God were doing together.

Practice tuning into God through work:

· Think of one manual task you need to do today. It could be washing dishes, pulling weeds, folding laundry, or anything else you need to do.

· Before you start this task, ask God to be with you in your work.

· Try to imagine the task as something that you and God are doing together.

· Listen for any new insights, ideas, or emotions that come to your mind while working.

Prayer: God, thank you for being with me in my work. May my everyday labor be a place where I can tune into you and feel your presence.

Further Exploration: Read this personal reflection on seeing work like Brother Lawrence did .

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

65. Love Your Coworkers – Work Together as Coworkers for God

December 22, 2025

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul clears up a potential conflict between himself and his coworker Apollos by emphasizing their relationship as coworkers. One is not greater than the other, but they share a common purpose of working together for the gospel. Each of them did a specific job.

To use an agricultural metaphor, Paul planted and Apollos watered. In this case as well as in our modern workplaces, coworkers have different tasks in line with their abilities, but all share a common goal of getting the job done.

By the grace of God, different people are able to play different roles in the workplace. We need to value each others’ differences, just like Paul valued the work of Apollos. Unfortunately, specialization sometimes leads to interpersonal or interdepartmental factionalism, poor lines of communication, and even personal vilification.

So it is ever more important that we take note of what Paul says about the God-given nature of different roles. Though our coworkers may be different in ways that irk us, we can love them for those differences, knowing that each of us is necessary to get the job done.

God created people to be coworkers. He warns us to deal quickly with interpersonal conflict and to guard our tongues against the kind of speech that poisons relationships. This is because working with others is so important to getting godly work done.

God asks us to go beyond simple working relationships to love our coworkers in the same way we love ourselves. He shows us an example of what that looks like in the Good Samaritan. And he cautions us through the words of Paul to value each other continuously as we work towards common purposes.

Our relationships with coworkers may be complex. Thankfully, the ways we can start loving them are simple. Pay attention to your coworkers, give them the benefit of the doubt, speak kindly about them and stand up for them when necessary. These loving actions will go a long way towards creating a positive environment where everyone is happy to work.

Prayer: God, please help me see the value in my coworkers today. I want to love them as you love them.

Further Exploration: We hope this plan encouraged you. You can find more plans from the Theology of Work Project at www.theologyofwork.org/devotions

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

64. Love Your Coworkers – Be a Good Samaritan at Work

December 15, 2025

Scripture Reading: Luke 10:25-37

In Luke 10:25-37 Jesus expands upon the Great Commandment to include a parable that answers the question “who is my neighbor?” The story of the Good Samaritan provides us with insights for both life and work.

The Good Samaritan was a successful businessman. He likely traveled the trade route often, and was deemed trustworthy enough by the innkeeper to demand services on credit. He was successful enough to be able to afford oil and wine for medicinal purposes and lodging at an inn for a complete stranger. Perhaps his success was a result of his kindness.

It turns out that treating coworkers well is good for business. Arthur Demoulas, CEO of the chain of groceries Market Basket, made it a point to treat his workers well. He paid them well over the minimum wage and refused to scrap the company’s profit-sharing plan even in an economic downturn.

He forged direct connections with his workers, learning the names of as many of his 25,000 employees as possible. When Market Basket’s board of directors fired Arthur Demoulas in 2014, due in large part to his generosity, the employees of the supermarket went on strike in support of their leader. Workers refused to stock the shelves until Arthur Demoulas regained control of the company. It was the first instance ever of workers organizing to choose their own CEO, and it was fueled by Arthur Demoulas’ self-sacrificing generosity.

At work we have many chances to show this sort of self-sacrificial love to our coworkers. Being a Good Samaritan in the workplace means cultivating a specific awareness of the needs of others. Are there people in your workplace who are being robbed in some way, perhaps of recognition or promotion?

A Christian should be the one to point out their contributions. Or if you see one or your coworkers struggling with a project, stop what you’re doing and help them. Connect them with someone else who can help. This is what the Good Samaritan does to love his neighbor.

Prayer: Lord, help me be a Good Samaritan in my workplace today. Bless me with success in my work and give me the opportunity to use that success for others.

Further Exploration: For more on valuing people who are different from us, listen to this sermon: Finding God in the Least Expected People (Sermon Notes)

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

63. Love Your Coworkers – The Great Commandment at Work

December 8, 2025

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:34-40

For all the many hours that we spend at work, the people to the right and to the left of us are our neighbors. Jesus teaches that whether or not we love our coworkers is directly linked to how much we love God.

When Jesus answers a lawyer’s question about which commandment in all of scripture is the greatest, he brings together two commandments into one new directive. Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself.

This new dual command has been called The Great Commandment for its importance in all of scripture. We cannot fully show our love for God if we do not love our neighbor.

What does loving our neighbor as our own self look like in the workplace? It looks like paying attention to a coworker’s presentation rather than checking your phone, even if the subject matter isn’t interesting to you. You would want to see other people’s eyes if you were giving a presentation.

Or it looks like taking time to sit with a new coworker at lunch because you would want to be welcomed if it were your first day on the job. Or it looks like asking a colleague, “Is it possible we’re not taking her seriously enough because she’s a woman?” knowing that you would want a colleague to stand up for you if you were being misunderstood.

These are small examples, yet each of them may come at a price—boredom, an hour of unbillable time, access to the inner circle of power. To love your coworkers, as yourself, may require taking risks that we would surely take in order to serve our own ends, but which loom large when undertaken only for the benefit of someone else. It is truly a high bar, and perhaps that is why Jesus equates such behavior with showing love for God.

Prayer: God, I love you with all my heart, soul, and might. Let me express my love for you today by loving my coworkers. Give me eyes to see the ways I love myself, and let me love others in this way.

Further Exploration: For more ways that you can love your neighbor through your work, see the Theology of Work Commentary on Leviticus .

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

62. Love Your Coworkers – Conflict with Coworkers

December 1, 2025

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 20:3; 20:19; 26:20-21; Matthew 18:15-16

If God intends us to work in helpful relationships with others, where do we go wrong? According the book of Proverbs, a lot of strife creeps into our working relationships when we talk about coworkers behind their backs.

Work often brings together people with different skills from different cultural backgrounds. This is good for building a diverse team able to handle many types of challenges. But it often also leads to conflict. How we deal with workplace conflict determines whether we work in a loving environment or an energy-sapping one.

When we have a conflict with a coworker we are often tempted to unburden ourselves on some other friendly ear. But many verses in the bible caution against such talk. While we think it will make us feel better, talking maliciously about a coworker often prolongs a fight rather than resolves it.

Gossip casts other people in a questionable light by raising doubts about their integrity. The gossiper elevates his or her own status at the expense of others who are not present to speak for themselves. This casts a shadow over anyone else in the office who might as a result of the gossip feel guarded and suspicious. Instead of ending a conflict, gossip amplifies it.

A better way of dealing with workplace conflict is laid out in Matthew 18:15-16. If you have an issue with one of your coworkers, it is best to talk it over in person when the two of you are alone. This gives you both a chance to clarify your positions and clear up misunderstandings.

If you have not solved the conflict after a one-on-one chat, hold a small meeting with one or two additional people. Other coworkers may have different insights into the conflict and useful perspectives on ways to solve it.

Conflict occurs in most coworker relationships. It takes courage and humility to deal with conflict head on. Yet, when you follow the advice of scripture, you create a better environment where everyone is happy to work.

Prayer: God, you see the conflict in my workplace. Give me strength to heal my work relationships. Guard my tongue against gossip and slander. I put my trust in you.

Further Exploration: If you want to read more about the process of conflict resolution, read the Theology of Work Commentary on Matthew 18 .

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

61. Love Your Coworkers – God Created Coworkers

November 24, 2025

Scripture Reading: Genesis 2:15-18

Our study starts with the first two human co-workers, Adam and Eve. God put Adam in the garden of Eden with a job: to till the garden and keep it productive. But soon God saw that working alone was not good for Adam. So God made another person to be Adam’s helper and partner.

The phrase in Hebrew that is used to describe the first woman is ezer k’negdo. Ezer is used in the Old Testament to mean one who helps, not as an apprentice or assistant, but as a competent ally. The word ezer is also used to describe God as our help, as in Exodus 18:4 “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

The word k’negdo means “comparable to him” or “suitable to him.” Put together, the phrase indicates that Eve was created with comparable or complementary gifts to Adam, with the purpose of joining Adam in the work God had asked him to do.

Adam and Eve had the distinction of being the first couple too, but before that they were the first human coworkers. What lesson can we take from their story for our modern (nonromantic) working relationships?

One way that we can love our coworkers is by being an ezer k’negdo at work. A helper delivers others from distress. Is there a coworker struggling with a new task who could use your expertise? The second half of the phrase implies that God intended his first human coworkers to share the load with each other.

Being an ezer k’negdo to your coworkers means approaching work-related problems with a shared vision. This means forgetting phrases such as “that’s not in my job description” and partnering with your coworkers to achieve a shared vision.

Prayer: Lord help me love my coworkers today, as you originally designed in creation. Let me be a helper to those I work with, and bless them to be helpers to me.

Further Exploration: To learn more about God’s intention for relationships as shown in creation, see the Theology of Work Commentary on Genesis

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

60. Conflict at Work – Be Eager to Do What is Right

November 17, 2025

Scripture Reading: Philippians 6:7, Isaiah 16:5

The book of Isaiah describes God’s servant as “eager to do what is right.” The Hebrew reads, more literally, “He will . . . be quick [to do] righteousness.” When we remember that righteousness means right relationships, we recognize that Jesus calls us to prioritize addressing broken or strained relationships. It’s not easy, and often we’d rather put off the hard work and vulnerability of seeking to mend our relationships.

For example, when our urge is to ignore or hide conflict with others at work, we must instead acknowledge the conflict and talk with the people involved (not gossip with others). When we would rather keep it to ourselves, we should ask wise people for help in getting started (in humility, not in hopes of gaining an upper hand). When we would rather build a case against our rival, we should instead build a case for them, or at least acknowledge whatever their good points are. If we have done wrong, we should admit it and ask for forgiveness. When we have been wronged, we should forgive. And when we think we don’t have the energy to engage the other person, but would rather just write off the relationship, we must let God’s power and patience substitute for our own.

In this we seek to imitate our Lord, who “emptied himself” of personal agendas and so received the power of God to live out God’s will in the world. If we do these things, then our conflict can be resolved in terms of what the true issues are, rather than our projections, fears and resentments. Usually this leads to a restored working relationship and mutual respect, if not friendship. Even in the unusual cases where no reconciliation is possible, we can expect a surprising “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” It is a sign that even a broken relationship is not beyond the hope of God’s goodness.

Prayer: Gracious Lord, it’s hard sometimes to initiate reconciliation. I don’t like conflict; I often would rather avoid and deny than be quick to do what’s right. Forgive me when I delay doing the right thing. Help me be eager to do what is right and quick to obey. Amen.

Further Exploration: We hope this plan encouraged you. You can find more plans from the Theology of Work Project at www.theologyofwork.org/devotions

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

Called To Work

Category: Devotions/YouVersion

69. Tuning into God – Mindfulness

68. Tuning into God – Still Your Body

67. Tuning into God – Practice the Jesus Breath Prayer

66. Tuning into God – Tuning into God Through Work

65. Love Your Coworkers – Work Together as Coworkers for God

64. Love Your Coworkers – Be a Good Samaritan at Work

63. Love Your Coworkers – The Great Commandment at Work

62. Love Your Coworkers – Conflict with Coworkers

61. Love Your Coworkers – God Created Coworkers

60. Conflict at Work – Be Eager to Do What is Right

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