When Work Hurts: Finding Hope and Purpose When Suffering on the JobSample

Day 2

"So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.” - 1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT

‬‬“Not again, Lord,” I thought to myself. Here I was, seven years delivered from a toxic work environment, and I had found myself back in the same work environment I’d fought so hard never to enter again.

For the past seven years, I was meticulous about “protecting my peace.” The Lord had delivered me from a horrible working environment, which happened to be faith-based. I suffered physically. My hair was falling out; my weight was the highest it had been; my husband was fed up with our marriage, and I was in charge of a team that seemed to never stop growing. I suffered trying to lead a team under a very harmful leadership regime. Our new director was nasty and made rude and inappropriate remarks about people’s looks and nationality.

I was fed up; I couldn’t take it anymore. I finally told her that her behavior was wrong. Calling staff names was inappropriate, and as their manager, I demanded better for them. This new director didn’t bat an eye. She waltzed right to HR as I was feverishly reporting this interaction to HR myself. Because of her affiliation with the company (her mother was a board member with a huge donor base for the organization), there was an immediate “investigation” into this matter.

At midday, the company's assistant vice president sat in my office, “taking notes.” After detailing what I had written, she looked at me somberly and said, “Yes, that is bad and shouldn’t have happened.” She left my office, and by the end of the week, they decided to keep their donor base intact and part ways with a problematic manager who cared too much for the staff.

And now, seven years removed, I was back in the seat of watching people, including myself, get undeserved treatment this time. The leadership was telling us, “black women are historically mistreated here,” as if that were a mantle they were proud to carry. I winced under the pain to say something because after all, who was I? At this place, I wasn’t even a manager.

But I leaned on the scriptures of suffering; 1 Peter 4 opens and closes with the topic of suffering well. It reminds Christians that bearing His name is because of HIS sacrifice; suffering for HIS sake is a mantle we should carry with pride because suffering well demonstrates we have passed from selfish sinners to sanctified saints. Suffering well means we are recognizing this earthy circumstance as a divine appointment to reflect the Jesus we claim to live in our hearts. Suffering well, for Christians, should be expected and accepted.

I can’t tell you how many times I mustered through my day to run home and crawl into Jesus’ arms to receive comfort. As I would cry and list all the wrongs and injustices I was experiencing, I could feel His hand of love surrounding me. I could sense His presence and His understanding. It was the suffering that allowed me to see Jesus differently. It allowed me to experience His love in a new way. I could audibly hear His commands like never before. And I knew it was His command because it radically differed from what my flesh told me to do.

His voice said, “See them as I do.” “Find one positive each day.” “Don’t respond like them; be different.” “Stay silent; I got this one.” And, “Show them Me.” So, while I couldn’t change the lion's den I was in, I began to thank God each day that He kept the lions from devouring me. I was able to find something each day to thank God for, and over time, the suffering finally felt like an honor. I finally realized that my joy and peace were going to be found in Christ and not in my physical environment.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to remember that suffering is an invitation to intimacy with You. In times of difficulty, remind me of your own suffering for my sake, and that you invite me to suffer to experience you even more. Comfort my heart and give me Your peace in this storm. In Jesus' name, amen.