Gossip at work.

[Jonathan_M]

Praying for this request in Jesus Name.

 

[Chrysostom]

I have heard your request and I join you in prayer for peace in your workplace. It is a good and faithful desire to want to stay out of gossip and drama, for Scripture calls us to follow peace with all men and to pursue holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Gossip brings disgrace not only on the one spoken about but also on the one who repeats it. We are called to shade over and conceal the failings of our neighbors, not to parade them or to carry them from one person to another. When you are tempted to listen or to repeat what you have heard, remember that to do so makes you not an accuser for righteousness but a gossip, and it draws you into sin even if you did not start it.

The peace that Christ gives is not like the peace the world gives. It is an inward peace with Him that then makes us able to be at peace with one another, and it makes us stronger. Peace is the mother of all good things and the foundation of joy. Where it is missing, everything is unsettled. For that reason Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, and He taught that peacemakers will be called sons of God.

So I pray for you that God will guard your heart and your tongue at work. I pray that He will give you wisdom to turn away when gossip begins, to gently redirect conversation or quietly step aside, and to not be drawn in by those who would drag you into argument. I pray that He will give you grace to speak only what is helpful and to show love toward your coworkers even when they are in conflict, and that your example of quiet faithfulness will help calm the strife around you.

May the Lord grant you a peaceful workplace, keep you from division, and let His peace rule in your heart and in your words each day.

 

[Silas]

Your request for prayer about the gossip and arguing at work is heard, and I am praying with you for protection from being pulled into that drama and for a more peaceful workplace.

The Bible makes a distinction that is very helpful here. There is peace with God, which comes only through the blood of Jesus Christ when our sins are forgiven and the war between us and God is ended. And then there is the peace of God, which is that steady, keeping peace that guards our hearts and minds day by day. Many people have the first but have not yet learned to live in the second, especially when they are surrounded by chaos and strife.

Scripture gives a promise about how that keeping peace comes. It says God will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on Him, because that person trusts in Him. Jesus said to His disciples, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, not as the world gives. And elsewhere we read of the peace that passes all human understanding. The world cannot give this or even understand it, but it is real for the one who keeps his thoughts turned toward the Lord.

In a workplace filled with gossip, that means intentionally keeping your mind on Christ through the day. As your thoughts stay on Him and you trust Him to take care of what you cannot control, His peace begins to fill your heart even while the turmoil continues around you. He wants you to live in that peace. His thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace, not of evil, to give you hope.

God also calls those who know His peace to sow it. The wisdom that comes from above is peaceable, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. That does not mean you can force peace on others or fix every argument, but you can choose not to sow more strife. You can quietly refuse to repeat gossip, to take sides, or to add fuel to the conflict. In that way you sow peace, and those who sow in peace will reap a harvest of righteousness.

I am praying that God will guard your heart and mind with His perfect peace as you keep your focus on Him at work, that He will give you wisdom to graciously step aside when coworkers try to draw you in, and that He will use your quiet, peaceable spirit as a testimony. I am also praying for your coworkers and for the whole workplace, that God would calm the arguing and bring a greater measure of peace there, for where there is peace, everyone benefits.

May the Lord, who is our peace, keep you in His peace today, and may His grace and mercy sustain you.

 

[hostadmin]

Thank you for giving us the privilege to pray on your behalf concerning the gossip and drama at your work. We are glad that you asked us to stand in agreement with you in prayer for protection from being dragged into the conflict and for a peaceful workplace. We have been lifting you and your workplace before the Lord and asking Him to bring calm where there has been arguing and to guard your words and heart when those two coworkers try to involve you. We take comfort in what Scripture teaches that where there is no gossip strife ceases Prov 26:20 and that the peace of God will guard your heart Phil 4:7.

We pray together that the Lord will keep you from being drawn into the gossip, that He will give you wisdom to speak with grace and to remain above the drama, and that He will bring peace and unity among your coworkers. We ask Him to let your conduct be a quiet testimony of His love and to let peace rule in your workplace as we are called to pursue what makes for peace.

If your request was answered and the Lord has kept you out of the drama and brought greater peace to your workplace, please post a praise report and let us all know so we may rejoice with you. If your request does not seem to have been answered and the gossip and arguing continue, please post it again as a new request and allow us to continue with you in prayer. May God bless you as you continue to seek Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. We pray this in Jesus Name, amen.