Welcoming God to our Workplace: A discussion with author Paul Balasundaram

Many of us live with a quiet disconnect. We have our “real life” — our values, our faith, our family — and then we have work. This divide between the sacred and the secular feels normal, yet it leaves many of us feeling unfulfilled, especially when we consider that we spend 60–70% of our waking hours on work-related activities. It’s a huge portion of our existence to relegate to a category of “just a job.”

Recently, I had the chance to listen to a talk by Paul Balasundaram (or Paul uncle as my wife and I have the privilege of knowing him) , a 75-year-old former executive with over 30 years of experience in the corporate world. In his recently launched book, “Dear God ……welcome to my workplace”, he offered a radical reframing of this problem, one that doesn’t just bridge the gap between our work and our values but erases it entirely. He argues that our professional lives are not separate from our spiritual lives; they are central to them.

This post distills his five most surprising and impactful ideas for integrating our whole selves — including our spirituality — into our professional lives. These aren’t just feel-good platitudes; they are biblical principles applied to the modern workplace with startling relevance.

Takeaway 1: Your Job Isn’t Secular — It’s Fundamentally Spiritual

The first and most foundational mindset shift is to stop viewing work as a secular activity. According to Balasundaram, this common distinction is a modern invention. He points to the very first chapter of Genesis, where God’s act of creation is described as an act of work. Humans, created in God’s image, are therefore designed to be creators, builders, designers, and cultivators.

This reframes the entire purpose of a job. It isn’t just a transaction for a paycheck; it’s a participation in a divine, creative mandate. Balasundaram states it simply and powerfully:

“…work originates with God, so work is spiritual.”

This simple idea is profound. It elevates every form of legitimate work — from being a mason to a software designer, a homemaker to a CEO — to a spiritual act. Suddenly, the daily grind is imbued with a significance that goes far beyond quarterly reports or project deadlines. It’s an opportunity to reflect the creative nature of our source.

What changes when you view your next task, no matter how mundane, as a creative act?

Takeaway 2: The Original “Great Commission” Is About Your Work

Long before the more famous “Great Commission” in the New Testament, there was what many theologians call the “first great commission.” This set of commands, found in Genesis 1:28, provides an ancient framework for finding purpose in our daily work. It’s not about converting colleagues, but about cultivating the world around us. The four commands are:

• Be fruitful and multiply: This is about more than biological growth. It’s a call to create more image-bearers and to multiply our unique gifts and talents to bless the world.
• Fill the earth: This means filling our workplaces, labs, schools, and playing fields with a “godly presence.” We do this through the excellence of our work and the quality of our conversations.
• Subdue it: This command is about harnessing the resources at our disposal — be they land, manpower, or financial capital — for the “common good,” not for selfish gain. It’s about gaining mastery over our domain in order to serve others.
• Rule: This is a call to lead with compassion and the heart of a servant, modeling a different kind of authority that builds up rather than tears down.

This ancient framework redefines our professional ambition as a mission to bless the world. But if this is the original design, what went wrong? Why does the modern workplace often feel less like a blessing and more like a burden?

How might your daily tasks be reframed as acts of cultivation and service?

Takeaway 3: Today’s Toxic Workplace Was Predicted Millennia Ago

Balasundaram points to Genesis 3, where the “curse” on work is introduced, as the spiritual root of the friction and dysfunction we experience today. The declaration, “cursed is the ground,” explains why so many modern workplaces are characterized by toxicity, stress, bullying, and burnout.

The consequences of this ancient problem are strikingly modern. Balasundaram highlights the current crisis of loneliness and disengagement, citing specific research. He notes that one in five professionals suffers from tremendous loneliness, even when surrounded by a large team. A Harvard Business Review article quantified the severe impact of this isolation:

“The health hazard of that loneliness is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”

Furthermore, Gallup reports that 70–75% of professionals are disengaged from their work, costing the global economy nearly 8.9 trillion US dollars, or a staggering 9% of global GDP. Balasundaram’s point is sharp: if the problems are spiritual in nature, then superficial solutions will only scratch the surface. He recounted a conversation with a senior VP at a major IT firm who was intrigued by these ideas for his HR colleagues, recognizing that corporate yoga and mindfulness programs often fail to address the deeper issues. The solution must also be spiritual.

If the root of workplace stress is spiritual, where are you looking for solutions?

Takeaway 4: You’re Not Your Job Title — You’re a Disciple in Disguise

One of the most practical and liberating shifts is in our personal identity. We are often encouraged to define ourselves by what we do: “I am an engineer,” “I am a doctor,” “I am a manager.” This ties our entire sense of worth to our job title, our performance, and our KPIs.

Balasundaram proposes a powerful alternative. Instead of seeing ourselves as an engineer who happens to be a person of faith, we should see ourselves as a person of faith who happens to be an engineer. He shared a memorable story of a young woman in a church membership class who, when asked to introduce herself, said:

“I would define myself as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ disguised as a machine worker…”

This reordering of identity is a game-changer. It means our value isn’t derived from our professional success or failure. Our primary identity is grounded in something far more stable and secure, which allows us to engage with our work with freedom and courage, rather than fear and insecurity.

How would your approach to challenges change if your identity were truly secure beyond your professional performance?

Takeaway 5: Ditch the ‘Sales Pitch’ and Master the Art of Conversation

So how do we apply these principles without becoming “that person” at the office? Balasundaram is clear: this is not about “single shot evangelism” or pressuring colleagues with a sales pitch. It’s about mastering the art of authentic conversation. The goal is to generate discussions around deeper life questions that everyone grapples with, like, “Does work alone define who we are?”

He shared a story of his chairman asking him directly over lunch, “Why do you Christians convert?” Instead of giving a canned answer, Balasundaram responded with an analogy about a scientist who discovers a cure for an incurable disease and feels compelled to share it. This response transformed a potential confrontation into a respectful and meaningful conversation.

But such vulnerable conversations are only possible when a foundation of trust and integrity has been patiently built over time. Balasundaram offered a second story that perfectly illustrates this. A board member, seeing him with his team of highly educated young women, made an inappropriate comment: “Bala is like Krishna surrounded by his gopis.” Before Balasundaram could even react, his boss — the chairman — stepped in and said, “Don’t talk like that. Bala is not like that.”

Later, Balasundaram reflected on the power of that moment: “What made him think that a person like me would not be expected to do what maybe other people would do… He drew the line there and said not with Bala. That’s not expected.” His lived-out faith had created a reputation for integrity that spoke for him, demonstrating that our consistent character is often our most powerful witness.

What story is your daily conduct telling your colleagues, long before you ever speak a word about your beliefs?

Conclusion: A New Perspective on Your Daily Grind

Integrating our deepest values with our work isn’t about adding more religious activities to our already packed schedules. It’s about a fundamental change in perspective. It’s about recognizing the inherent spirituality of our work, understanding our role within a larger mission, and grounding our identity in something more profound than a job title.

By shifting our view, we can transform our daily grind from a source of stress and disconnection into an arena for purpose, meaning, and true contribution. It invites us to stop living a divided life and instead bring our whole, authentic selves to the tasks set before us.

What if the most meaningful contribution you could make starts not with finding a new job, but by bringing your whole self to the job you’re in right now?