So You Hate Your Job..

    

        Do you ever get up and just really dread going to work? Believe it or not, more than half of Americans wake up daily dreading to go to their jobs. They see it as a burden. But what is it that causes us to not to like going to work. Some say it is their managers and unfair treatment. Others will say it is trying to get along and work cohesively with their co-workers. Maybe it is the poor attitudes of the customers. Many say they just do not make enough to deal with the daily stress. Whatever the cause may be, it is putting a damper on the job that you PRAYED SO HARD TO GET. Yes, I said it.


       Think back to when you were unemployed and the application process you had to go through on a daily basis. Yes, that wasn't a fun time at all. You were going through a really dry season of empty pockets and no call backs. You stayed on your knees praying and crying out for God to bless you with a job. Finally, you receive a phone call about an interview. After the interview, you are hired for the position you have applied for. You immediately start thanking God and you are super excited. You start making promises that you will be so happy to go to work everyday and at any hours. I'm going to go above and beyond the tasks at hand. I'm going to give awesome customer service. I'm going to be on time. I mean everything you can think of.


        Now fast forward a couple of months. You start to hate the hours that you work. You're tired of the rude customers so you start lacking in customer service as well. You feel like you are being mistreated. You start to no longer care about your job and doing your best, so you usually don't show up on time. Better yet, you decide to call off several of times. You start writing negative Facebook statuses about how you hate your job and wish you had another one. You find yourself ALWAYS complaining about your job.


So where is that fire you had when you first got hired? You let all of the circumstances turn your attitude and way of thinking about the job that God has blessed you with. YES GOD BLESSED YOU WITH YOUR JOB. THE JOB YOU PRAYED SO HARD FOR. You cannot let the circumstances around you steal your joy. You being at the job you are at now is not a mistake. God has placed you exactly where He wants you. God has a purpose that He wants you to fulfill. So let's turn a negative unto a positive:


       It all starts with your thinking. We have to transform and renew our minds as mentioned in Ephesians 4:23. When you wake up in the morning, instead of holding on to that dreading attitude, wake up with gratitude for being able to be employed. There are so many people who are looking for a job. They are wishing they were in the position you were in. They are wishing they can have your income so they can be able to supply their everyday needs. Be grateful that you have a job. It doesn't matter what type of job you are working. You have some type of income that is coming to your pockets. Find the positive in every situation.


     We have to stop complaining! Complaining will put you in the most negative mood. You have a problem with everything...I MEAN EVERYTHING. You can't stand who you work with. You think you don't make enough money. You can't stand the work load. You can't stand the hours. I mean I could go on and on. Like I said before, put it in your mind to be grateful no matter what the circumstances are. You have to humble and die to yourselves daily (that means your feelings). God exalts those who are humble in His sight.
    Make your job your full time ministry. If you have to be at this job and you feel there is no escape (meaning you don't have a backup job), ask God what is your purpose while you are at this job. God gets the glory out of every aspect of our lives, so what makes us think He can't get the glory while we're on our jobs?
I work at a pharmacy so I like to find ways to encourage the customers and minister to them. Many of the customers come in sick and others may come in frustrated due to being in a hospital or doctor's office all day. Being at the drop-off window gives me a chance to talk to customers and encourage them with a word and let them know that everything is going to be ok or God is going to work their situation out. I even had to pray for one customer mid-way through taking her prescription. When I can make a customer's prescription cost cheaper than what it is, I praise God for it. It's times like these where I feel like my job is worth it and that God gets the glory through everything. The reason I decided to work in the heath alliance field was because I knew I would be able to help people. So I am doing the purpose that God wants me to do.



Now of course like everyone, I deal with difficult circumstances and situations that can easily pull anyone out of their character. Everyone deals with the stress of their workload, managers and co-workers, difficult customers, etc. How you choose to deal with these situations will determine your mood and attitude. I like to look at going to work from a different and bigger perspective.

Colossians 3:22-24 (KJV) says, "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; (23) And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily; as to the Lord, and not unto men; (24) Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Work as if you are working for God. It changes things when you think of it that way.

Here are some ways to transform your mind at work

1.) Spend time with God each morning. Pray and meditate on scriptures related to your situation.
2.) Give thanks! Let God know that you are grateful for being employed despite your circumstances. Take a minute and remember how hard it was when you were unemployed and searching.
3.) Always have a song on your heart that ministers to you in a difficult time. I always find humming as a way to remain calm in a stressful situation.
4.) Keep your mind stayed Jesus. How can you step out of character when Jesus is on your mind?
5.) Know that God takes care of His children.
6.) Pray for others. Instead of talking about someone or speaking negativity against them, speak life into them. I find praying for others more fulfilling and it takes away the negativity that seeps into my mind or heart towards them.

So, in the morning, when you feel that dreading spirit come over you, SHUT IT DOWN! You have to understand that God works according to His timing. Life is divided into different seasons.

Eccles 3:1 (KJV) says, "To every thing there is a time to every purpose under the heaven".
Eccles 3:11 (KJV) says, "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from beginning to end."

Greater is coming! When God decides it is time for you to move on, He will do it in His timing. Be grateful where you are now. Running won't do any good. You are going to run into the same situations everywhere you go, maybe even worse. Then you'll regret leaving your current job. He has you exactly where He wants you to be for a certain purpose. Go to your job and work your very hardest without complaining. That is what is pleasing to God. He appreciates those who are grateful. So you hate your job? Change your mindset and I'm sure it won't seem that bad as you thought before.

Acknowledge. Fix. Keep it Moving...

 Reference Scriptures

Jeremiah 29:11 (For I know the plans for you)
I Peter 5:6-7 (Humble yourselves)
2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 (My grace is sufficient for thee)
Romans 12:14 (Pray for those who persecute you)
Romans 12:18 (Working with others)
Romans 12:21 (Be not overcome with evil, but good)
Philippians 4:19 (God shall supply all of your needs)
I Thessalonians 4:11 (Mind your business)
I Thessalonians 5:18 (Give thanks)
Psalm 37 (Evildoers can't get away with it)
Ephesians 6:5-9 (Work with fear for God)