Praying for your coworkers doesn’t require announcing it in the break room. It doesn’t require starting a workplace Bible study. It starts in the quiet—on your commute, at your desk before the day begins, in the pause between emails. And it changes everything. Not because it makes your coworkers easier to deal with (though it might), but because it changes how you see them.
Seeing Your Coworkers Through God’s Eyes
It’s easy to reduce people to their roles—the annoying manager, the lazy intern, the gossip in accounting. But each of your coworkers carries a story you probably don’t know. The one who’s always irritable might be going through a divorce. The one who overworks might be terrified of failure. The one who seems to have it all together might be falling apart at home. Prayer helps you see past the surface.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
Working “for the Lord” doesn’t just mean doing your job well. It means treating the people around you the way Jesus would. And Jesus prayed for people—constantly, specifically, persistently. If He walked through your office, He wouldn’t just see employees. He’d see sheep without a shepherd. And He’d pray.
How to Pray for Specific Coworkers
You don’t need to know your coworkers’ deepest secrets to pray for them. Start with what you can observe. Who seems stressed? Who seems lonely? Who just got bad news? Who is making decisions that seem self-destructive? Bring what you see to God, and let Him fill in the gaps you can’t see.
- For the stressed coworker: “God, give them peace that passes understanding. Lighten their load.”
- For the difficult boss: “Lord, give them wisdom and soften their heart. Help me to respect them even when it’s hard.”
- For the new employee: “Father, help them feel welcomed and valued. Use me to make their transition easier.”
- For the one who’s hurting: “God, I don’t know what they’re going through, but You do. Draw near to them today.”
- For the one who irritates you: “Lord, change my heart before I ask You to change theirs.”
Praying for the Difficult Ones
Let’s be honest: some coworkers are hard to pray for. The one who takes credit for your work. The one who gossips about everyone. The one whose negativity poisons every meeting. Praying for these people isn’t about becoming a doormat—it’s about refusing to let resentment take root in your heart. You can set boundaries and still pray blessings. You can advocate for yourself and still intercede for the person who wronged you.
Often, the people who are hardest to work with are the ones who need prayer the most. Hurt people hurt people. When you pray for a difficult coworker, you’re not excusing their behavior. You’re asking God to heal whatever is driving it. That’s not weakness. That’s spiritual warfare at its most practical.
Prayers for the Workplace: Inviting God Into Your 9-to-5
How to invite God into your workday through intentional prayer.
Challenge: Pick three coworkers this week and pray for each one by name every morning before work. Don’t tell them. Just pray. At the end of the week, notice whether your attitude toward them has shifted—even slightly.