Answers to questions on Busyness, Stress and Uncertainty - by Jo-Ann Gamble and Craig Josling
How do you re-assess when everything in life/work is getting too busy/stressful? How does being a Christian help you to do that and decide what to change?
Here are some principles to keep in mind:
- Be clear on what your priorities are when it comes to your faith, family, church, work, rest etc.
- Build everything else around these “big rocks”.
- Periodically re-assess whether what you are building is sustainable. Get the input of other people to cover for your blind-spots.
- If it’s not sustainable, then work out what (around those “big rocks”) needs to give.
- Pray for wisdom, courage and perseverance.
As your Christian group grows with new joiners / new Christians, how do you maintain having a safe space so that people feel safe to be vulnerable and ask for prayer (whether that’s in person or on Teams/slack)
New additions do change group dynamics. The leader really sets the tone – if they are willing to be appropriately vulnerable as new people join, then that helps others to be too. Re-stating the group “rules” and the aims of the group can also be helpful for the newcomers, so they know what is expected (and means you can pick up things privately later if you need to – for example, if a newcomer overshares).
When you are stressed/ anxious about work, how do you stop your mind becoming obsessed with that stress? Is rejoicing in the Lord and praying the key for you?
Philippians 4:4-8 is so helpful. Paul’s words remind us that:
- We can pray and receive the peace that comes from God’s good hands – we ask God to help us entrust him with the situation and the outcomes. (v 6 -7)
- Rejoice in the Lord (v 4) Give thanks for the good things we have in him that are outside the situation (Jesus, eternal life) and let this re-shape our perspective and remind us of the bigger picture.
- Make a conscious effort to direct your thoughts towards what is worth thinking about. Test these against those described in verse 8.
How do you balance different priorities, like when to work overtime vs spending time with family? I would also love to hear more on how you practice being gentle with coworkers when stressed.
There are two good questions here.
When it comes to working overtime vs spending time with family, here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Is it a “season” of overtime that can be ridden out, or has overtime become an entrenched pattern?
- What can my family sustain? (which might be different to what I can sustain).
- What are the longer-term ramifications to working overtime? (including what matters from an eternal perspective).
- What are my motivations for working overtime? (be honest with yourself).
Being gentle with co-workers when I’m stressed:
- Becoming more self-aware of when my stress levels rise and how that plays out (do I snap? Do I avoid? Etc).
- Taking some time out to calm myself down (taking deep breaths helps).
- Letting people know it’s a challenging time and I am working on managing my stress.
- Apologising and seeking forgiveness when my stress has leaked out in selfish behaviour.
- Philippians 4:5 calls us to let our gentleness be evident to all because the Lord is near. We have his strength and his eyes on us.
How would you suggest we lead and give people at work, especially non-christian colleagues who do not know Jesus, hope during a time of uncertainty & constant change?
This is such a timely question! Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Firstly, work on finding your own identity and security in Jesus (pray a lot).
- Ask people how they are going with the uncertainty and listen well to their concerns.
- Pray for an opportunity to share the difference Jesus makes (it’s lovely when someone says: “You don’t seem as stressed out as everyone else…why is that?”).
- Offering to pray for people (generally no one rejects an offer to be prayed for).
- Praying for wisdom and courage. Hardships can be a great gospel opportunity!
How to answer work staff who want to argue their political views with being gentle as a Christian?
Try to remind yourself – “Win the person not the argument”. That helps you to go into a conversation being willing to listen and to learn so that you can understand their point of view, even if you don’t agree with it. This mindset helps you to let go of argumentativeness and defensiveness.
If one spouse works in ministry (e.g. pastor) and the other in the full-time corporate workforce, how can you ensure you spend time with each other and invest in your relationship? I.e. because the spouse in ministry needs to work on Sundays and evenings, when the corporate worker would usually spend those times resting.
The challenge is real: ministry often requires evenings and weekends, while corporate work tends to demand weekdays—leaving both spouses stretched and with little overlap for rest or connection.
This is, at its heart, a wisdom issue—and the good news is that God promises to give wisdom generously to those who ask (James 1:5). Protecting time for your marriage, family, and walk with God is not optional; it is a priority worth guarding and fighting for.
Practical strategies can make a difference. For example:
- Leverage flexibility: If possible, the pastor might adjust their weekday schedule, or the corporate spouse could occasionally work from home.
- Create rhythms of connection: Some couples set aside a weekly lunch date at the same café. They streamline by ordering quickly, spend a short time on logistics, and then devote the rest to truly catching up.
However, if you consistently find yourselves drifting apart despite your best efforts, it may be time to consider more significant changes. This might mean reducing work hours, moving to part-time, or even transitioning to a less demanding ministry role. No career—whether corporate or ministry—is more important than nurturing your marriage and pursuing godliness together.
