<h2 id="12bc2e55-bc34-4de4-8516-615cced8326e" data-toc-id="12bc2e55-bc34-4de4-8516-615cced8326e" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">A Familiar Frustration</h2>Yesterday was Labor Day — a holiday born from workers who once endured twelve-hour days, six or seven days a week, in unsafe conditions. Working conditions have improved dramatically since then. But in my years first as a psychologist and now as a coach, I've talked with many people dissatisfied with their work — and the dissatisfaction often centers on one relationship: the one with their supervisor.That was true for Erika, a client I've mentioned before. She didn't dislike her job. She disliked how her boss ran things. And she's far from alone.So what does the Bible actually say about how employers and employees are supposed to treat each other — and is there hope for people stuck in workplaces that don't measure up?<h2 id="3cc04f71-b1ab-4823-8a9a-4e6144b2b00f" data-toc-id="3cc04f71-b1ab-4823-8a9a-4e6144b2b00f" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">What the Bible Teaches About Work</h2>In Every Good Endeavor, Timothy Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf make a foundational point: all work is ultimately service. Employers serve employees through supervision and leadership; employees serve employers through the work they were hired to do.Paul builds on that in Ephesians 6. Employees are told to work with the same respect and reverence they'd show God — honoring their supervisors, working with confidence rather than resentment, and giving full effort even when no one is watching. (See Ephesians 6:5-7)Employers get an equally direct instruction: treat employees the same way — with respect, genuine concern for their wellbeing, no favoritism, and no coercion or guilt used as a management tool. (See Ephesians 6:9)This isn't just good theology — it's good research. Employees who work because they value the work itself, rather than out of fear or surveillance, are healthier, more trusting, and better at their jobs. Employees who are treated fairly and trusted are more engaged. And when leaders show genuine concern for their people, those people respond with more psychological safety, hope, and engagement.<h2 id="a1366225-1fcc-4743-b5f2-6ab48cf45ee3" data-toc-id="a1366225-1fcc-4743-b5f2-6ab48cf45ee3" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">When Your Workplace Falls Short</h2>Christ-following employers and employees who take this seriously have a clear guide. But most of us don't get to choose our supervisor — and plenty of workplaces fall well short of this standard. Does that mean you're stuck with dissatisfaction?I don't believe so. In my experience, thriving at work has less to do with the job itself and more to do with the mindset you bring to it. You may not be able to change your workplace — but you can almost always change your posture toward it.That's exactly what Erika did. “I've changed my perspective,” she told me. “I still don't like how my supervisor does things, but I know I have to do it his way. He's in charge, and that's okay. I still tell him what I think — I don't just let him run over me — but now I have peace of mind. I know I'm serving my students well, and that's what makes it worth it.”I faced a version of this myself. When a broken leg ended my work as a hospital-based psychologist, a mentor gave me a question that reframed everything: What does this make possible? The answer became H. Paul Stanley Coaching.<h2 id="39bca970-9763-4e74-ab30-13ad8c76ee50" data-toc-id="39bca970-9763-4e74-ab30-13ad8c76ee50" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">A Question Worth Journaling</h2>If you're in a difficult work situation right now, take a few minutes to journal. See if you can land on one sentence — a mindset, like Erika's — that would make your current work situation worth it.I'd love to hear your thoughts. You can share them with me by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hpaulstanleycoaching.com/contact-dr-stanley/">clicking here</a>.<hr><h2 id="e4539852-dd68-4d4a-95fd-261ccb661f9e" data-toc-id="e4539852-dd68-4d4a-95fd-261ccb661f9e" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Did you find this helpful? Would you like more — but not too much more?</h2>Once every two weeks, I send a short, practical article focused on living a less stressful, more abundant life — helping you maintain life balance and grow mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially over time.You can subscribe by <a target="" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hpaulstanleycoaching.com/stress-relief---life-balance-news-tips-opt-in/">clicking here</a>.<h2 id="04c75a01-28ed-46a4-a955-efaaf826ad1f" data-toc-id="04c75a01-28ed-46a4-a955-efaaf826ad1f" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Sources:</h2>Deci, E. L., Olafsen, A. H., &amp; Ryan, R. M. (2017). Self-determination theory in work organizations: The state of a science. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 19–43. <a target="_blank" href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113108">https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113108</a>Hagger, M. S., &amp; Star, K. M. (2026). Self‐determination theory and workplace outcomes: A meta‐analysis. Stress and Health, 42(1), e70151. <a target="_blank" href="https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.70151">https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.70151</a>&nbsp;Jonker, C. S., &amp; Dube, S. C. (2025). Servant leadership and well-being: A scoping review of positive organisational outcomes. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(0), a2783. <a target="_blank" href="https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.v23i0.2783">https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.v23i0.2783</a>Laksanadjaja, F., &amp; Oviedo-Trespalacios, O. (2024). Uncovering the web of secrets surrounding employee monitoring software: A content analysis of information provided by vendors. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2024(1), 7951911. <a target="_blank" href="https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/7951911">https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/7951911</a>Mohamed, S. A. (2014). The relationship between organizational justice and quality performance among healthcare workers: A pilot study. The Scientific World Journal, 2014, 1–7. <a target="_blank" href="https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/757425">https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/757425</a>

The final post in the Are You Actually Thriving? series — what Ephesians 6 teaches about work, difficult supervisors, and the mindset that makes hard jobs worth it.

With Fear and Trembling — Are You Actually Thriving? (Part 5) 

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With Fear and Trembling — Are You Actually Thriving? (Part 5)

With Fear and Trembling — Are You Actually Thriving? (Part 5)

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