Operation Pray for My Office-Frenemies

Paris Hilton is not the only one with frenemies.  Most of us can probably identify some office-frenemies – those folks you have to play nice with even though they give you a lot of heartache and a few headaches along the way. The coworkers who may have differing opinions and work styles that can cause your blood to boil a bit on the inside.

Ok – so I’m being dramatic with my word choice here, but sometimes I think, “Gee, if I was just queen of the universe, things would be so much easier. Why can’t everyone just agree with me and do it my way?” This is a bit of a vulnerable confession as it reveals to you that I struggle with pride (pretty much on a daily basis). I can be so hard on those around me for not being as brilliant as me.

If you ever questioned whether or not God had a purpose for our work, just look to the refining that happens to you as you work through the many interpersonal relationships in the workplace. That should be evidence enough.

Matthew 5:44 tells us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. Because I have my hands in other people’s territories as a university marketing director, I sometimes feel like a punching bag – maybe not quite persecuted, but some days feel close.

So I have decided to commit to praying for 30 days for those coworkers who drive me a bit nuts. Let’s call it a faith and work experiment. I’ll report back and let you know what happens (to them and to me!).

And if you are my coworker, don’t worry - it’s probably not you. And if it is, admit it, I probably drive you a bit nuts, too.