Of all the people and things that we can pray for, one group that is often overlooked is our co-workers. People’s relationships with their co-workers can vary greatly. Some people may have a very close relationship with their co-worker(s), so much that they may be considered friends that may even extend outside of work. Other relationships with their co-workers can be the complete opposite. Whether it is a good, bad, or completely neutral relationship, as followers of Christ, we should see the need to pray for these people that we probably spend a lot of time with.
If we are fortunate enough to have a close friend at our place of work, then praying for these people should be a no-brainer. When you take time to pray for someone that shows a level of commitment to that person that can hardly be matched by any other earthly relationship standards. Whether they are sick, struggling at work, or having relationship issues, intervening in prayer for your friend in these situations will strengthen your relationship and help to ensure it is built on a foundation faith. Perhaps your friend is lost, and/or your faith isn’t talked about that much, seeing an opportunity to pray for them, and letting them know you are, will be a great opportunity to low key share your faith. I have found that a prayer for a co-worker is typically much appreciated and not soon forgotten.
Even if you may not be close to a certain co-worker, the need for prayer remains the same. No matter what your relationship status is with that person, they still will experience trials, heartache, loss and will at times just need prayer. Just because you aren’t “friends”, doesn’t mean we don’t show compassion toward them and take their need before the Lord. If there has been contention between you and a co-worker, you should pray for humility that you can be a witness to a potentially lost soul. Remember, lost people do lost things, we cannot expect them to do the right thing. Praying for humility puts you in the position to show Christ. The expectation is on us as believers to mend or build that relationship. In general, consistently praying for our co-workers can be a fulfilling part of our personal ministry. Adding to what is probably a long list of things and people to pray for can be daunting, but keeping a prayer journal will help keep your prayer life organized.