Sharon, my supervisor, sat working at her desk.
The scowl on her face warned me that I’d work another day in a tension-packed atmosphere. Working with Sharon hadn’t always been that way. Initially, my work met her approval, but now she even criticized my phone calls. I tensed when the phone rang, knowing she would be listening. I needed my job and enjoyed the work, and I firmly believed God had opened the door for me to work there.
Over the years, I had sharpened my abilities as a secretary. Now, it seemed Sharon’s constant criticism would erode my confidence. I knew she struggled with problems, and it seemed I had become her scapegoat.
I shared my problem with Christian friends who faithfully prayed for me. I was also praying—not only for myself but also for Sharon and our relationship.
After working with Sharon for many tension-filled weeks, she handed me a letter to type—a letter that detailed what she claimed to be my most serious faults, a letter she planned to send to our organization’s headquarters.
I struggled with typing the incriminating words, knowing they might result in my termination. By the end of that day, my emotions were frazzled. However, God remained faithful and did not allow the situation to devastate my faith and self-respect.
Slowly the atmosphere at work changed. Sharon and I talked more. From time to time, I told her what God was doing in my life that created joy from sadness and gave me peace. Months passed, and Sharon’s respect for me and my work returned. Then problems developed in her job, and she was fired.
A few days before Sharon left, she approached me. “There is something I don’t understand,” she said. “Even though I will be out of work soon, I have a strange feeling of peace.”
“Sharon,” I quietly said, “I’ve been praying for you. I believe God is answering those prayers.”
God walked with me through those tension-filled days. And He used me to encourage Sharon as she faced a change in her life.
When we are willing, God can use us to demonstrate His power and love to those who need encouragement.
Who can you encourage today?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Norma C. Mezoe strives to be a Barnabas in her writing and in her living. Norma has been a published writer for thirty years and has written for magazines, devotionals, and S.S. literature. She is active in her small church as clerk, teacher, and bulletin maker. Norma may be contacted at normacm@tds.net.