Biblical Business Leadership: STRESSSýnishorn

7. Stress Relief for Leaders.

Throughout the last readings, we’ve been looking at what insights the Bible has to offer about the different types of stress.

Now, let’s look at advice from the Bible to help manage our stress. This little slogan provides a suitable starting point:

“Do your best, and let Jesus do the rest.” 

This may sound overly-simple, but let’s dig into the scriptures behind it.

As we saw in the last reading, the Apostle Paul gave us clear insight as to how to fulfil our role as leaders:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.   – Colossians 3:23-24

Doing our best and remembering that we are working for the Lord – and not just our boss, management team or board – helps reduce stress by keeping perspective. 

The second part of our little slogan is about trusting God. 

For this, let’s look at a typical example from Jewish history… the nation has strayed from God and times are bad. Here comes the prophet Azariah with a message for King Asa, CEO over the Jewish nation:

The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. He went out to meet Asa and said… “The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God… but in their distress they turned to the Lord… and he was found by them. In those days it was not safe… but as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 

Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life…. There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.  – 2 Chronicles 15:1-7,17b,19

Asa listened to the prophet – his spiritual advisor – and turned the whole nation back to God, with benefits for decades to come.

Some centuries later, King Hezekiah again faced a near-certain end of the empire; look what he did when he received the bad news:

Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord:  “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth… Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.”  – Isaiah 37:14-20

Both leaders – Asa & Hezekiah – turned to God in their time of need, not only so their problems might be solved, but that God might be glorified as well.

The second part of our little slogan – let Jesus do the rest – means turning to God in faith and trusting Him in your leadership, regardless of the issues you may face.

Seeking God in our time of stress and praying for His wisdom, His intervention – to His glory – is the very best step we can take as we face stressful situations of any type in our leadership today.

Reflection / Application

1. Do you often engage in prayer to help resolve difficult work situations? Why or why not?

2. Throughout the Old Testament, God sent prophets to come alongside and advise kings & leaders, often helping bring them closer to God in prayer. Can you see an advantage to drawing closer to God in your work? How would that look? Can others help you with this?

3. Hezekiah prayed for God to help him in his work situation, and in a way that would bring glory back to God. Can you see how God might be glorified in resolving your business issues at your work today?

4. “Do your best & let Jesus do the rest” is a simple phrase worth repeating. Consider having it written or engraved as a display reminder at your workplace.