Almost three years ago I was reassigned to a different manager. At first I thought no big deal. Same work to do, with the same people, but now I have a different boss, but it was only a matter of weeks before my happy meter went from 95 to -105! When I had my first face to face meeting with her she actually said, “I’ve heard about you. You like to give 120%. I’m going to bring you down from that.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
During the next few weeks, which turned into months she questioned everything I did, or tried to do. Nothing was ever right or good enough. The pressure would start the very moment she walked through the door. There was one day I came so close to standing up and telling her, “I QUIT!” If I had done so I would have been throwing away 18 years of work. There were many days in the mornings the very thought of going to work would bring tears to my eyes. I begin crying out to God to do something. Anything, I didn’t care, I just wanted out from under the stress, and the oppression.
I thought of many ways God could answer my prayer, but I knew from experience that His ways are higher than ours (ISA 55:9). I tried to transfer out of my department to no avail. Then I finally begin to realize God might just have a plan. Well, years have gone by since this ordeal started, and just this past week I heard these words come out of my boss’ mouth, “Mark, you bring real value to our team. When you see something that needs to be done, you take care of it.” It was all I could do to hold back my emotions.
By consistently trusting God, which wasn’t easy, and knowing I had placed this in His hands, the end of the ordeal has been realized. I have made it through the storm and have safely reached the other side. The outcome? I have l
earned to trust in God in a greater way. I have learned that standing up for ones rights does not always achieve the desired results. But
perhaps the greatest achievement is this; my boss now respects me, and maybe now I have earned the right to be heard. I now have a platform to stand on when I share Jesus with her. God can now cross this one off His to-do-list. Thank you Father.
brady, mark a. 