The office filled with workers, another week was about to begin. I asked my assistant to copy off the plans for the jobs that I was managing. My head began to ache, I knew this was the day I would have to make the decision and I was not looking forward to it.
Our work had been slowing down for months as the economy worsened and the directive had come from the main office that we cut our payroll by 25%. In my department, it meant the laying off at least two people and what was worse taking their half-done projects and distributing them to the remaining people. I had struggled with these tasks for the last two weeks and finally the day had arrived.
As I was heading to the manager’s office I almost ran head long into my assistant. She looked at me and asked, “Is everything ok? You look like the weight of the world is on your shoulders.” I said, “Don’t worry about me, just get those drawings copied and let me know when you are done.” She smiled her normal smile and agreed. But as she left she called over her shoulder, “I will pray for you.” This angered me as it had so many times before. I spun around and said to her, “How many times have I told you to stop that? If I want your prayers I will ask for them… and you can believe that ain’t going to be any time soon.” She continued on her way, smile still intact. Not long after, she took a job elsewhere and I heard she made the decision because she could not work in an environment where she was kept from expressing her faith.
Many years later, strangely enough I faced the same decision. I had changed and accepted the Lord but my company still expected me to be the person they hired. A little over a year ago I knew I had to decide, should I continue working until full retirement age or retire at the end of 2016. If I did it would mean for the first time in my life I would have to put all my trust in God, take a leap of faith.
Jesus talk about how I was feeling in this way “No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot God and money (Matthew 8:24)
That is where my decision lay. I was making a better than average living and because of it I could afford to support my church and give to several charities and ministries. But to do so meant that I would have to work in an environment where my faith had to take a back seat and in the end, would I be able to do that?
I can tell you it was not an easy decision. I struggled, and I prayed as I sought I His will. I knew the answer was in His Word and sought the counsel of Jesus, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6: 25-27) The answer was there but could I trust and obey?
So, I prayed daily and sought the advice of Christian friends, I made the decision. I would retire and pray for the Lord to lead me into ministry. I had felt the Holy Spirit’s call and decided to answer it. And you know, once the decision was made God led me in ways I would have never suspected, the most amazing was a deepening relationship that led to marriage.
I am now living with total trust in God’s leadings for my life. Every day I seek His will and ask in prayer, “Not my will, but Thine be done…” And even through my impatience He has told me, “…”Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name, you are mine. (Isaiah 43:1) Scary as it is sometimes, I find I can trust and obey.
The young girl who worked for me heard that I had accepted Christ. I was told it did not surprise her. She simply said in her matter of fact way, “I kept praying for John and I knew God had a purpose for him.” May we all live as she, in simple faith. I know it is my prayer today.
Blessings John
6/28/17
A young girl’s faith and a life changing decision…
