When Faith Leads, the Workplace Becomes Worship

Silence releases accountability and puts you in a position to grow.

I recently had a conversation with a young woman who had just entered a new season of life. She is newly married, fresh out of college and excited to start her career. What came to light was that she was already wrestling with questions about the busyness of life, how to lead well, and how to live out her faith in the workplace.

What struck me most was her fervor—her eagerness to ask the hard, important questions. Seeing that zeal to step into leadership rightly, alongside a deep spiritual hunger, stirs and excites me! It reminds me of Jesus’ words: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37–38, ESV). To live abundantly in Him, we must first thirst for Him, because only He satisfies.

And when we speak of keeping Jesus first, we must remember why. As Paul writes, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:15–16, ESV).

That means everything begins and ends with Christ.

Rule number one is simple: never put Jesus number two.

So, if Jesus is number one, why is He not number one in our day?

No condemnation. No judgement. Just a simple question. I have to raise my hand here. I get caught up in the busy, the hustle and bustle of parenting three teenagers with my beautiful wife, but I often reflect with the advice I am giving to you now.

Starting the day with prayer and in the Word strengthens our relationship with God and steadies our faith for what lies ahead. Faith is not hidden; it shapes our responses, our leadership, and our influence. As we nurture prayer and trust that He goes before and behind us, faith ceases to be abstract—it becomes a living adventure where His power flows through us like living water. (John 7:37–38, ESV)

My conversation with this upcoming professional naturally shifted to one of the hardest arenas in which to live out faith—the workplace. It is often easier to stay quiet and avoid conflict than to let faith guide our words and actions. But silence is not peace—it is passivity. Peace is active. Peace is the inner steadiness that comes from trusting God even when the outcome is unclear. From my upcoming book, Stuckness: Within the Stronghold, we dive into the traps that steal our peace, and we will learn together how to identify self-talk traps, where they root in our lives and forge a new mindset. This is a small piece to the greater goal of living in alignment with Jesus.

What I want you to not miss is this simple application. Living out your faith in the workplace does not have to look like wearing a shirt that says "Jesus Won" or walking around with a Bible stitched onto your hand. It is the very same principle we discussed just moments ago, and it does not change in the workplace:

Whether I am successful in this or not, but when I step into the office, I remind myself that my work is not ultimately for clients, colleagues, or even my own advancement—it is for the Lord. That changes how I approach decisions, how I treat people, and how I carry the weight of responsibility. The meetings, the deadlines, the leadership challenges—all of it becomes an offering. Are there times that I am frustrated, absolutely—I fall short. But how I handle my actions, should reflect how I worship. In that light, professionalism is no longer just about competence; it becomes an act of worship. And the result is that if I put Jesus first, the way I approach decision, how I treat people and how I carry the weight of responsibility will be above what is expected of me professionally. It becomes a natural standard of actions in the workplace and the way we live out our faith.

And the truth is, our natural tendency is to let our flesh take control, forcing things to happen on our timetable and in our way. But that urge robs us of peace and steals our ability to keep every thought captive. A day spent trying to control the day is always heavier than a day surrendered to God. That is why I ask myself, and the young woman burning with a desire to align with God, one hard question—the same one I now place before you:

If you are willing to stay silent about your faith—to keep the peace or to fit in—have you already traded the Provider for the provision?

When Jesus is not number two, everything shifts. We stop living from depletion and start living from overflow. We find that peace is not passive—it is powerful. And we discover that our faith, when lived out boldly and surrendered fully, becomes the loudest testimony we carry into every environment—even the workplace. In the end, the workplace does not need a silent believer—it needs a surrendered one. Because when we refuse to put Jesus second, our lives stop being a desert struggling for control and become streams of living water that refresh everyone around us.

Thought-Provoking Questions:

1. Where in your daily rhythm—whether at home or at work—have you allowed busyness to push Jesus from first place to second?

2. When silence feels safer than speaking with faith, are you choosing peace—or simply avoiding the discomfort of living boldly?

3. If professionalism is an act of worship, how would excellence, integrity, and humility look different in your workplace if Christ truly came first?