Jealousy At Work

Jealousy At Work

A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Proverbs 14:30

There’s a link between peace and health. And there’s a link between jealousy and disease. These links aren’t uncommon. As a doctor, I see them at work all the time. Maybe you have too.

I’ve had countless patients who were physically healthy but felt sick. They complain of fatigue, an inability to sleep, or depression. Sometimes their blood sugar or blood pressure readings are higher than normal. But I often find that the cause of their symptoms has less to do with a physical problem than with an emotional one. They’re not sick; they’re carrying around hurt and anger that they can’t seem to get over.

We think of jealousy as an emotion between lovers, but in my medical practice, I’ve found that jealousy is much more common in the workplace than in the bedroom. The green-eyed monster can come out when a coworker gets a raise or promotion. This kind of jealousy churns the entire time the person is at work.

When our hearts are full of negative emotions, the stress-related hormones start flowing. If untreated, everything from weight gain and inflammation to anxiety and depression can result. Jealousy may start slowly, but if we don’t keep our thoughts in check, those feelings can turn into a dark force that eats away at us until our negativity adversely affects our health. That’s when we go to the doctor.

To be healthy and happy, we need to have balance in our lives and in our work. We also need to focus on the peace and joy that God has promised us. If we want to be truly healthy, we must let the anger, fear, and jealousy that we feel melt away. My patients who live peaceful lives generally have better health than those who don’t. They remain calm during times of stress, they think positive thoughts even when things aren’t going well, and they take life as it comes.

Setting aside our negativity can make us better team players at work. Then we can truly applaud those on our team who succeed. That kind of positive attitude might be exactly what the boss is looking for.

TODAY’S RX

To be healthy, work to live, and live peacefully, rather than jealously living to work.

Lord, help me to let go of the anger and jealousy that consumes me at times. Replace these feelings with feelings of peace and contentment, allowing me to be a light to my family, friends, and coworkers.