Alarm sounds, hit snooze. Alarm sounds, hits snooze, again. Alarm sounds, hits snooze a third time. Finally gets up in despair. Brushes teeth. Puts on clothes. Makes lunch. Curse people out in traffic. Plot escape like life depends on it. Walks in the building with the fu** all ya’ll face because deep down inside you can’t stand those people or that job, but you show up because the bills aren’t going anywhere. Yup. That’s a reality for most. And was a reality for me. For a long time I felt miserable at my job. I would think “this can’t be my life, Lord. The bible says you have plans for me this can’t be it. Now, I’ve seen what you have done for others, sir, what are we doing here?” Along the way, however, I’ve learned how to cope with being at a job I hate, but needed.
Job– noun| 1. a paid position of regular employment 2. a task or piece of work, especially one that is paid
synonyms|task, assignment, project
Testimony:
Without going it too deep, I used to loath my work place. I’m a teacher. And for the record it was not the students. It was not the work load; although, I do teach three preps. In a nutshell it was the environment. I went from a working at a place I loved and felt joy walking the halls to working at a place I felt confused and defensive 85% of the time. The other 15% of the time I was in my classroom making English magic, but I digress.
In situations like these, however, it can be hard to enjoy life. We spend the bulk of our days at work, and if the work place is not satisfying, negative emotions trickle into other parts of our lives. We can’t have that because we are indeed abundant people. At the same time, we can’t just walk out of our positions. I could not and would not dare leave my students in the middle of the year. I grinned and carried the burdened bleak environment I was doomed to return to everyday. Later however, it dawned on me, the job, the position I was in currently was not just a place of employment. I realized it was actually an assignment.(1 Samuel 8:12)
Break it Down, B:
An assignment is a task, or mission given as a part of a course of study. Here’s the thing, I/ we ask for prosperity. We ask for abundance. We are asking God to help us grow and refine into the men and women we desire to be. On the contrary, learning, growing, and refining does not come without a few assignments. So I ask? Is there something you are supposed to be getting out of your current position, job, assignment, that is designed to help cultivate your growth and development as a person or career? I’ll wait.
Before you get to this:
Think about what you can be grateful for in this position, as well as, what God has for you to gain or contribute.
What is there to be grateful for?
- You have income! First of all, and I had to do this. Humble yo ass. Straight up. There are thousands of people who are out of work and cannot feed themselves or their children who would love to be in your position. Your bills are getting paid and you have food on the table. Be grateful.
- You are in the position to see what you like and do not like as you plan your next moves. While you are in this space, you can see what you do and do not enjoy and carry that with you into your next season. You are not starting from scratch anymore. You now have experience that will help you navigate your life.
What is there for you to gain?
- Build a new skill. It is possible you are in this environment to learn something new about yourself, your craft, humanity, or your field that you could not have otherwise learned. For example, maybe this job has equipment the other job did not have and viola! This is your opportunity to learn how to use it.
- Be inspired. So your job sucks. Consider why it sucks. Is it the leadership? The lack of something you feel should be there? If so, what tf are you going to do about it? Allow the lack to inspire your inner change agent spirit.
What is there for you to contribute?
- Be a change agent. Referring back to the assignment aspect of a job, understand God does not place us in predicaments by chance. Not only is this position a space for your be employed with income, but also it is a space for you to possibly make a difference. In this space, you may have a spiritual or otherwise job to do. Consider the fact this opportunity may be more about you serving than you receiving. It is possible the thing you don’t like is actually designed to be a void only you can fill.
- Be the light in a most likely dark place. I know my experience with professional jobs has been this: if the environment is not up to par, you are not the only one who feels it. It may be your job to be the light and sunshine, or to help lift the spirit of complaining and unhappiness off of the rest. Be the person who brings the sparkle into the otherwise dull room.
Finally, being an adult can suck especially when we are in spaces we do not want to be. Nonetheless, I recently had to check myself. In the last two years, I taught at two schools. The first I adored, but still had my complaints. The second, I complained, and still had my complaints. I had a moment, however, where I thought to myself, “I gotta be the most ungrateful b**ch that ever did it.” “How is it that I am complaining in one space and still complaining in the new?”
At that point, I had to shift my mindset. When I did, I realized 1. I was blessed. 2 God had given me everything I asked for. I was complaining about not growing and being to comfortable. God said, well my child, I’ll throw you in a space where you will learn new things about your craft and your discomfort will provoke you to act. 3. I had been given and opportunity to serve and I almost missed it due to the complaining bug . All in all, we are not always in the ideal space, but again I charge you to consider: What is there to be grateful for, what is there to be gained, and how can you serve?
Pay Homage:
And when we work with love we create a loving working environment.
bell hooks
Facts:
- Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
- A job is also an assignment.
- Always be grateful.
Salute:
Thanks for reading!
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