Integrating a supernatural dimension into your work centers on aligning daily actions with God’s will and making each task an expression of faith.
To make your work supernatural and ultimately pleasing to God, you have to see things differently. This calls for taking up concrete steps, including those suggested below, to make new habits until they become part of you. It will not be easy but since work is necessarily a significant portion of our lives, it is important to make the most out of it. Then God with his infinite powers, will make even greater use of these good habits to do much more than we can imagine (Ephesians 3: 20-21).
See Your Colleagues as Christ Sees Them
It is hard, very hard to see others with the eyes of Christ, especially when they have a difficult personality or you do not get along with them for whatever reason. However, because every human being is loved by Christ, you have no choice but to at least try to see them as Christ would – a person worthy of love. Note though that love is not feelings. According to scripture, it consists of concrete actions such as patience, kindness, non-arrogance, hope and so on (see full list by St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7). Love is also self sacrificing meaning it puts the needs of others first (John 3: 16 and Ephesians 5:25). Thomas Aquinas, theologian and Doctor of the Church, also famously said that to love is to will the good of the other (Summa Theologica). This means that when someone at work rubs you off the wrong way, you should consider not emotionally loving them but wish the good for them. Be kind and patient with them. If this is difficult to do, say a quick prayer asking for help before you speak or deal with that person. God help me see this person as you do; is a powerful and sufficient prayer so long as you pray with faith.
See Your Work as Part of God’s Creation Process
God gave humans the power to take care of the whole of creation (Genesis 1: 26-28; and 2:15). Believe it or not, this includes your work. Answering phone calls or managing your project are all part of God’s creative action. Therefore see your work as not simply something you do but something you are taking part in. This means that work is an opportunity for you to work with God to co-create something. The implication is that you have to be aware of God’s presence at work as much as you can. Sometimes, this is hard to do so it is important to begin your day with a morning offering so that you invite Christ to work with you before starting. It is also helpful to have a small image of Christ, Mary, or a Saint at your desk. Some place a small crucifix discretely on their desk where they can steal a glance from time to time to remember that they are not alone and to renew their invitation to Christ to co-create with them. The other implication is that what you produce or do at work must be of good quality. Since God is all good, he can make the most use out of a job well done. Moreover, he would take more joy in your efforts when it is truly your best. Your best work is also an opportunity to set a good example for others to propagate more good work, and in this sense you are fostering the virtues of God’s kingdom, simply by working well.
Take Care of Yourself
Even God who is constantly working (John 5:17) and yet all powerful (Job 42:2), rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2: 2-3). This means that we all need to stop working at some point to relax and rejuvenate. It is so important to rest that we are commanded to do so as Christians (Exodus 20: 8-10). Evidently God foresaw the problem of attachment to work and made it essential that we set a day apart for rest.
Our rest from work is also an opportunity to contemplate God, to link what we do to what he does and to remember that this is the whole point of working. This is why, during our rest from work, we aim to go to Mass or spend time with family or do those tasks that we keep us grounded or in a peaceful state such as gardening and baking. Rest at home should, as much as possible, exclude screen time and scrolling to disabuse ourselves of any attachment to our phones and similar devices which are often not productive or inclusive of rest.
To further achieve rest, we should practice detachment from work. This includes aiming to stop working at closing time; practicing the understanding that we cannot do everything in one day; prioritizing tasks so that we tackle the most important things first; taking our leave days and avoiding taking work home. For some, placing photos of family members on their desks reminds them of why they work and helps them to have a healthy detachment from work. For others, it is the opposite. They refuse to put family photos at their desk so that they do not get too comfortable at their desk or see it as an extension of their home. Do what is most convenient for you in detaching from work in a healthy way. There is a need for proportionality between work and rest. God rested one day out of seven. Today we generally have two days out of seven for rest from work, which is a privilege to enjoy. We also – in most cases – have vacation or leave days. Together these should be proportionate in a sense that we should not be on vacation on leave more than we work. Even when we have enough wealth to not work, it is important to apply ourselves to work more than the time we take to rest. This is important to to ultimately use the talents he has given us and to not waste it (Mathew 25: 14-30).
See the Opportunity to Use Your Specific Talent
We need to understand that we are unique and nearly nobody on this earth has our exact array of talents and strengths. One study by Gallup shows that we are one in thirty-three million when assessed by one of Gallup’s strength-finding tools. When we also consider that we also each have unique personalities, then we realize that no one can manifest our talents as we do. This makes work a truly unique experience because it will result in outcomes marked by our unique strengths and personality, meaning the work we do results in one-of-a-kind outputs.
Even before applying our talents to work, working gives us the opportunity to discover what our talents are. We learn early what we like, do not like, what comes naturally to us and what doesn’t. It is in this process of working that we slowly zero-in into what our calling at work may be, especially if this was not clear to us, as is often the case.
If we end up at a job where our primary or secondary talents are not being used, we may be more easily tired, negative and burnt out. In such cases, it is important to have self-awareness to ensure that this mismatch is not causing us bitterness or making us spread negativity to all around us. Rather, we should work gradually at finding work that is better aligned with our talents and in the meantime, practice self-discipline and positivity to avoid frustrating ourselves and those around us. If you work were only some of your talents are put at play, find an outlet for the rest of your talents outside work. If you like solving complex problems, join volunteer and social groups where your problem-solving talents may be put to good use. If you have the time or the capacity, you may consider working part time elsewhere to put the rest of your talent into action.
See Professional Work as One Type of Work
It is true that stay-at-home parents are also working. Taking care of the home is a lot of planning and physical work. It is also increasingly being recognized as a type of profession or labour just as others. It is important that the typical professional work is considered only one type of work. Gardening on the weekends is also work. So is driving the children to school. This understanding will help you manage your time at work and outside of work well because you soon realize that you spend most of your waking hours doing all types of work.
The implication is that you will need to factor-in all your forms of work when you plan your day. You will be able to take more seriously, those times with family or friends which you may naturally subordinate to professional work. You will find yourself booking in social times in your calendar and date night as well because all are work. Just because professional work tends to pay a wage does not mean other work do not provide rewards. Other work pay us back in the form of good friendships, a happy marriage and a happy relationship with the family. They also pay us back with mental rest and a healthy mind and body. Therefore, bring down your professional work from its pedestal and align it with other work you do. This does not mean you have to diminish professional work – aftercall it is important for all the reasons above. However, it does mean that it has to be put in its proper place vis-à-vis other work you do.
To gain some of these new perspectives, integrate the following perspectives
Other Tips to Acquire Supernatural Perspective
- Seek God’s Presence in Work: Start each day with a prayer, offering your work to God. Prayers like “Come Holy Spirit” or the Morning Offering can invite God into your efforts. Remembering God’s presence can transform even the most mundane tasks into acts of devotion.
- View Work as a Vocation: Catholics see work as more than just a job—it’s a calling to serve others and fulfill God’s will. Whatever your role, viewing it as a vocation can inspire a sense of purpose, dignity, and dedication. Through your work, you participate in God’s creative power, contributing to the good of society and God’s creation.
- Practice Virtues in Daily Tasks: Strive to practice virtues like humility, patience, charity, and diligence. By aligning actions with virtue, work becomes a pathway to sanctity, where ordinary tasks can reflect God’s love and goodness. Working with integrity and seeking excellence in even small tasks honors God and respects the dignity of work.
- Turn Challenges into Opportunities for Spiritual Growth: Challenges are a natural part of any job, but you can use these moments to grow spiritually. Practicing patience, forgiveness, and resilience during tough times invites God’s grace to transform challenges into opportunities for virtue.
- Pray for Colleagues and Clients: Offering prayers for coworkers, supervisors, and clients can add a supernatural perspective to professional relationships. Even silently, asking for God’s blessings on those you work with transforms the work environment into a space of grace. At minimum, wish the best for them.
- Remember the Bigger Picture: While striving for success is essential, Catholics are reminded to keep a balanced perspective. The true goal of work is not material success but living a life in harmony with God’s will. Keeping an eternal perspective helps maintain peace amid stresses and shifts priorities towards spiritual rather than only material outcomes.
- Reflect on the Example of Catholic Saints: Saints like St. Joseph the Worker or St. Thomas More serve as examples of sanctifying daily work. Reading about saints who embodied holiness in the workplace can be inspiring and provide models for integrating faith into a professional life.
- Consider the Social Teachings of the Church: Incorporating Catholic social teachings, such as respect for human dignity, the option for the poor, and stewardship of creation, adds a moral and supernatural dimension to work. Make choices that promote justice, honesty, and respect reflects Catholic values and brings them to life in the workplace.
- Participate in the Sacraments Regularly: Attending Mass, especially on Sundays, and receiving the sacraments regularly strengthens one’s connection to God. Frequenting the sacraments provides spiritual strength to approach work with renewed perspective, resilience, and grace.
Incorporating these practices will help to transform your ordinary work into a means of supernatural grace, allowing daily efforts to reflect a faith that touches all aspects of your life and those around you; ultimately leading you to more fulfilment and by extension, true happiness.
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