Stress is a given for leaders—especially during peak times of busyness. But it shouldn’t characterize our days, even busy ones. God has a cure.
That’s a tongue in cheek photo! But it’s true to what happened at our headquarters recently. After a recent fundraising event our development assistant sent this email around the office:
As Lois said in her email, stressed spelled backwards is “DESSERTS.” We all rushed to the kitchen to devour chocolate cake that afternoon!
But as delicious as cake is, God has an even more satisfying and sustaining stress-buster for us. A good friend of mine, a leader of a non-profit ministry, describes it this way: “In the days leading up to our big events, I began noticing a pattern of frustration and stress among my staffers. Everyone had lots to do, and things weren’t going smoothly. So we changed the atmosphere. We began playing worship music in every administrative office. Now, God’s truths are filling our minds instead of stress, and event preparation is much more efficient and enjoyable.”
1. Choose well. Tune into the status of your soul, and ask God to direct you to the music He has for you. Find a long-playing YouTube worship segment on your computer.
2. Set the volume. You know your work-style, and whether you like quiet background music or something a little louder. Make sure it’s loud enough to hear, while keeping your co-workers in mind.
3. Tune in. Every so often, you may find yourself drawn to a particular song—whether it’s the melody or the words. When that happens, take time to stop what you’re doing, turn up the volume, and allow God to speak to your heart.
4. Respond. God may prompt you to sing along, to watch the YouTube video for awhile, or to turn to a Scripture passage. Pausing to actively engage with God—in the midst of your workday—is a wise and worthwhile practice.
“Pausing to actively engage with God—in the midst of your workday—is a wise and worthwhile practice.”
- Lisa Hosler
When I experience stress, it’s as though my mind is tuned into a static-filled channel on a radio. Instead of peaceful, flowing thoughts, I hear mind chatter—those niggling, negative thoughts about what someone just said, or the myriad of papers strewn about my desk, or the mountainous project just ahead. When we tune into God through worship, though, our minds are soothed with timeless truths about the greatness and goodness of our Abba Father.
May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart
meet with Your gracious approval,
O Eternal, my Rock, O Eternal, my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 (VOICE)
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psalm 34:1 (ESV)
How do you incorporate worship music into your work days, and what impact does it have? Feel free to share your thoughts in the Comment Section below.
