“Sometimes, you may be looking for something new, but God just wants you to be still in the place that you’re at.” The words of my co-worker echoed in my head for the rest of the day.
I was in a role that I no longer found interest in, I was in a job where it seemed like advancement was impossible. I was working in an office that I no longer felt motivated to come to, and quite frankly I was tired of it. For over two years, I had been applying to jobs all over the U.S., praying that God would open a new door for me. I prayed, I paid my tithes, I lived right. So, what was the problem? The Bible itself told me that “I should ask and it will be given to me.” I began to get frustrated at God and His “plan”. If God loved me so much, why wouldn’t He open a door for me in a place where I could find happiness and purpose?
All the same, I showed up to work everyday, worked on my assignments and projects and thanked God for having a steady source of income. I continued to apply to jobs and each time I hit “submit application,” I would say a quick prayer for God to grant me favor. There were days when I would go on my knees, cry, and beg God to please open a door for me.
One day, my co-worker came to my desk and we started talking about work and the frustrations we shared. In the midst of our conversation she said “Sometimes, God just wants you to be still, but we’re humans and we don’t like it. God just needs you to be still before He opens the next door for you.”
Throughout that day, I pondered over that statement and asked God to forgive me for being impatient and ungrateful. I began to ask God to help me find meaning and purpose in the work that I was doing. I prayed that the assignment for which He placed me at my job, would be accomplished.
After that moment, I began to look at my job and my role from a different perspective. I enrolled in courses that developed my leadership skills and my human resources intellect. I volunteered for events that broadened my knowledge on a variety of topics. I received many networking opportunities in and out of my officeI was assigned projects by my supervisor that put me in a position to teach others. I accepted the challenge to offer HR consulting to small businesses and individuals in my spare time.
What’s the lesson here? Sometimes, the situation we find ourselves in may seem unfavorable. You may be in a rush to come out of it and run to something better. You may think that you have your career plan all sorted out and that you need to make your next big move. God says we need to be still. God has a plan and a purpose for every single position that He places you in. His plans concerning us are far better and greater than what we deem to be ‘best for us’. In His own time, God will move you to your next destination. Until then, grow, learn, and be still.
Psalm 46:10 (NLT): “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
Humanly Yours,
Abenah