Keeping a Christian life while working in a non-christian environment

[HumbleOne]

I'm a young adult working in a non-christian environment, with a lot of non-Christian co-workers and superiors. I like my job, it's amazing, but at the same time, I feel like I tend to be subdued to the majority of the culture. What's your advice to keep a healthy Christian life in this situation? I don't want to leave my job, I need it to live, but I want to be loyal to christ. What is your advice? Thank you in advance!

I hear you on this. Especially my work place, it has become a toxic environment in which it difficult to get ahead. If you don't like a person because of their attitude or character your consider racist. If you stand up for yourself you get fired. Constantly in throws of someone else's mental delusions or life problems. You didn't comment on my hair color, you must be a bigot. You put that part down a little too hard on accident, must be a rude person.

I like the work, yet, the toxic environment doesn't embolden my opinion of wanting to move up and work in other departments.

 

[TenderHeart]

I’m struggling with this right now. It’s a good thread.
The nature of my work is very competitive, and I’m supposed to perform constantly and it’s very high stress.

I just started working full-time again 2 months ago after taking time off to help my family with my mom’s terminal cancer. So much has been put into perspective that I really can’t care about making 100 calls a day to CEOs who by nature are extremely selfish, self-serving. It doesn’t seem to fit with my new life of following Jesus.
I’m praying every day for God to put me in alignment with some thing that is going to serve people, help people, and not help this corporate hierarchy that I am in at the moment.
High stress is very bad for my mental health. I’m not sure what else to do but I keep praying on it nonstop.


Lord, I’m grateful for the INSIGHT as I realize my current role not in alignment with the highest good to serve You and to help people. I ask that you please hear my prayer And realign my path. For the benefit of glorifying YOU, Lord, and for minimizing my mental health issues.
I give thanks in Jesus Christ name, amen.

 

[Lanolin]

my hours are being cut, but then its only a casual job.

While I do sell Bibles, the shop also sells tarot cards.

Last week some customers stole some spray cans, the owner ran after them, they were worth $10 but, I was like why do we even have spray cans in the store I thought you couldnt sell spray cans to under 18s anyway, plus what are they even doing on the open shelves.

Its just stuff like that. The boss means well, but its clear he's running a business like evrybody else and its the profit motive behind it more than Jesus.

 

[TenderHeart]

my hours are being cut, but then its only a casual job.

While I do sell Bibles, the shop also sells tarot cards.

Last week some customers stole some spray cans, the owner ran after them, they were worth $10 but, I was like why do we even have spray cans in the store I thought you couldnt sell spray cans to under 18s anyway, plus what are they even doing on the open shelves.

Its just stuff like that. The boss means well, but its clear he's running a business like evrybody else and its the profit motive behind it more than Jesus.

I understand how you feel. I’ve tried applying for Christian jobs but they won’t even look at my résumé. I Don’t have any experience working for fundraisers or any experience working in sales for Christian organizations. So they are prejudiced against me out of the gate. I feel trapped. I know God makes the impossible possible so I’m just going keep praying and I’m going to have to do a fast for this one.

There’s got to be a better way to pay my bills without feeling like my soul is being sold between 830 and 530 Monday through Friday. I’m like meat being ground up, it’s truly a grind. I don’t mind working hard at all. But if my heart isn’t in it. I just can’t care.

God has a plan for me to spend 45 hours a week helping people in a more significant way, I just know it. I’ll be patient and wait for him and keep praying and fasting. Thank you Lord Jesus for hearing me! I love you

 

[Desdichado]

I work in a very rough business. Best advice I can give everyone struggling with this is to find community outside of work.

Don't let your job be all-consuming.

 

[Dillun77]

I'm a young adult working in a non-christian environment, with a lot of non-Christian co-workers and superiors. I like my job, it's amazing, but at the same time, I feel like I tend to be subdued to the majority of the culture. What's your advice to keep a healthy Christian life in this situation? I don't want to leave my job, I need it to live, but I want to be loyal to christ. What is your advice? Thank you in advance!

Consume the word. Stay connected to a group of Godly women who can mentor you. Stick close to your church community. Pray often.

 

[MatthewWestfieldUK]

TThis a really tough 1, because I find that discussion of faith is a big no-no in London.
What frustrates me is that people look at the bottom line, the cash they make. They are not interested in environmental or social impact nor do they consider where the product comes from and whether it's from a country where there is a dictatorship or communism.

 

[Lanolin]

TThis a really tough 1, because I find that discussion of faith is a big no-no in London.
What frustrates me is that people look at the bottom line, the cash they make. They are not interested in environmental or social impact nor do they consider where the product comes from and whether it's from a country where there is a dictatorship or communism.

thats pretty old school the bottom line

I did a business course and they taught there is now a triple bottom line..not just the cash but also the environmental and social impact.

however the boomers never got taught this and are STILL going about their business ruining the planet.
For example...people that sell coffee still sell them in takeaway cups that contain plastic and have just expect you to chuck them away once youve finished drinking out of them. The people that sell bottled water and drinks have no provision for reusing bottles they just expect people to send them to another country to be recycled.
Those countries have now stopped accepting junk plastics from recycling schemes because people cant be bothered to sort and wash them.

 

[MatthewWestfieldUK]

thats pretty old school the bottom line

I did a business course and they taught there is now a triple bottom line..not just the cash but also the environmental and social impact.

however the boomers never got taught this and are STILL going about their business ruining the planet.
For example...people that sell coffee still sell them in takeaway cups that contain plastic and have just expect you to chuck them away once youve finished drinking out of them. The people that sell bottled water and drinks have no provision for reusing bottles they just expect people to send them to another country to be recycled.
Those countries have now stopped accepting junk plastics from recycling schemes because people cant be bothered to sort and wash them.

I guess it varies by country and sector. Im over 40, so maybe my education was less eco friendly. I guess when I see the way people get excited about making money but very numb and silent when it comes to helping others.
In England I find that people are very aware of celebrities but not so aware of what's going on on their Street.

 

[Lanolin]

I guess it varies by country and sector. Im over 40, so maybe my education was less eco friendly. I guess when I see the way people get excited about making money but very numb and silent when it comes to helping others.
In England I find that people are very aware of celebrities but not so aware of what's going on on their Street.

well before tv, radio and and movies people thought royalty were celebs. They would know if the Queen visited but for entertainment purposes they had to make up their own fun. So they would gather in the pub and throw darts and chew the fat.

But, now that everyone has their own tv with satellite reception everyone can just watch other people playing the Chaser in their own living rooms, and apparently its more fun than watching the trooping of the colour.

 

[Gideon300]

I'm a young adult working in a non-christian environment, with a lot of non-Christian co-workers and superiors. I like my job, it's amazing, but at the same time, I feel like I tend to be subdued to the majority of the culture. What's your advice to keep a healthy Christian life in this situation? I don't want to leave my job, I need it to live, but I want to be loyal to christ. What is your advice? Thank you in advance!

Ask God to cause you to be the best employee they've ever had. If you do talk about Jesus, and that's a good thing, make it during a break so that they have no excuse to trouble you. If you do your job without complaining you are way out in front!

I spent 50 years in the workforce, only once with a Christian boss, and that was for a few months. Some people responded well, others were antagonistic. God's grace is for every day, and it is always sufficient. It is not automatic.

I had quite a few jobs as I got bored easily. That's not necessarily a good thing. In the first years at work it never occurred to me to pray. That is a mistake. Another thing I discovered was to let peace be an indicator that I was in the right place. When the peace of God left, I began to check out if I was still in the right place. God wants the best for us. That includes times where we have to depend on Him. It gets difficult at times, especially when a co-worker takes offence and tries to get you fired. I did not try to defend myself. I prayed and it was my critic who got the sack.

 

[MatthewWestfieldUK]

well before tv, radio and and movies people thought royalty were celebs. They would know if the Queen visited but for entertainment purposes they had to make up their own fun. So they would gather in the pub and throw darts and chew the fat.

But, now that everyone has their own tv with satellite reception everyone can just watch other people playing the Chaser in their own living rooms, and apparently its more fun than watching the trooping of the colour.

Lol. Human interaction is fundamental to a balanced life

 

[TheIndianGirl]

Gossip and laziness (slacking) are very easy to slide into, if one is not careful. This is very common in most workplaces. If one can address these two negative qualities, I think he/she has accomplished 90% of being a Christian in the workplace.

 

[Gojira]

I'm a young adult working in a non-christian environment, with a lot of non-Christian co-workers and superiors. I like my job, it's amazing, but at the same time, I feel like I tend to be subdued to the majority of the culture. What's your advice to keep a healthy Christian life in this situation? I don't want to leave my job, I need it to live, but I want to be loyal to christ. What is your advice? Thank you in advance!

Ya know, I never forced it on anyone, but when the conversation or situation called for it, they knew where I stood. If they didn't like it, tough. You just have to be shameless for God.

 

[MatthewWestfieldUK]

There's a pub culture that i can't afford and enjoy as the conversation is not intelligent after a drink

 

[Lanolin]

I never went in for pub culture or drinkies after work. Once a year is plenty enough for most people (the office christmas party when people get drunk on the company dime...not pretty for most)

You can join a social club and most workplaces have them but mostly you are contributing from your own pay though. So the higher ups mostly can afford it but the ones further down the heirarchy is often out of reach.

That is if your organisation has huge inequalities in pay...and many do.

by contrast christian work example by Lord Jesus is that his disciples who were acting like his servants actually became his friends. There wasnt this master- slave divide. And everyone was paid the same.

 

[HumbleOne]

I'm a young adult working in a non-christian environment, with a lot of non-Christian co-workers and superiors. I like my job, it's amazing, but at the same time, I feel like I tend to be subdued to the majority of the culture. What's your advice to keep a healthy Christian life in this situation? I don't want to leave my job, I need it to live, but I want to be loyal to christ. What is your advice? Thank you in advance!

I understand. It is very difficult where I work!!! Its a rumor mill.

 

[TLCSFA]

I'm a young adult working in a non-christian environment, with a lot of non-Christian co-workers and superiors. I like my job, it's amazing, but at the same time, I feel like I tend to be subdued to the majority of the culture. What's your advice to keep a healthy Christian life in this situation? I don't want to leave my job, I need it to live, but I want to be loyal to christ. What is your advice? Thank you in advance!

Hi. I'm new so going through things little at a time. You have a good question. At my job, there were so many that aren't or don't act like Christians. I couldn't help but to hear some things being said in the break room & I would just look at them & shake my head. Eventually people started telling others "Don't be cussing in front of Ms. Sarah." The ones saying bad things would apologize. All you can do is to be yourself, a Christian. Pray for those saying things & if something is directed at you, right away, back up & tell God to take over. Then forget about it if possible. I know your problems & mine may be different. But you will be surprised when you pray for them, asking God to take over & just forget it if possible. I can promise you from experience that He will deal with any situation you put before Him. Trust in Him.

 

[Lanolin]

when things are difficult and you are in the minority...

(so whats new? I have always been the minority...even in my own family) You pray. Read the book of Daniel and see what he did while he was living in captivity. Everyone around him was faithless. He couldnt just up and leave, plus he was tested sorely. But he came through the refiners fire.

The other thing I learned was to pray to bind demons. If you cannot talk about Jesus or the gospel at work, and people arent believers (majority of workplaces) you can actually pray to stop them operating, and they will leave you alone.

though if you CAN leave or be free it is often better. We arent called to bondage.

 

[TLCSFA]

Ya know, I never forced it on anyone, but when the conversation or situation called for it, they knew where I stood. If they didn't like it, tough. You just have to be shameless for God.

Amen