I’ve worked in the same position at the same company for six years. I am truly blessed to have this job and even more grateful that, despite the economy’s ups and downs, I’ve maintained steady employment.
Although times are better now, in 2009, my company laid off over 50% of its workforce. For those of us who remained, tasks were divided and our workload increased. In my case, it doubled. Well, about a year or so later, things started to pick up again, and the company began to rehire for those lost positions. Because I had handled my tasks satisfactorily, however, the full time position I absorbed did not need to be filled. I was pleased, because I genuinely enjoyed the added responsibility and felt comfortable handling accounting tasks. I also anticipated that I would receive a raise for the extra work, and I was fully convinced it was deserved. My boss, on the other hand, didn’t agree.
You see, in those days, I went to school and worked simultaneously. The company was extremely flexible with my school schedule, requiring only that work tasks be completed on time. (So, I could take the 10:00 class every Tuesday and Thursday, as long as I never held up billing or made my boss wait for end of month reports.) I admit; it was a generous setup, and I understood my boss rationalizing it as part of my pay. However, my thoughts were this: if I absorbed a full time salary and continued to execute all necessary tasks with integrity and excellence, I should be monetarily compensated. In my mind, going to school was a part of the arrangement when I was hired; therefore, it should not be held against me for advancement. Despite my best at trying to convince him of this, my boss refused to raise my salary. I left it alone, but inquired again months later. Again, his stance was firm; as long as I was attending school, there would be no raise.
If I’m honest, I started to resent what I was doing. I was working tirelessly at school, making straight A’s, and juggling the demands of a full time position. Furthermore, I was gaining high praise at work for not only the increased output, but the quality of my work overall. How did he not see that a raise was warranted? In a mix of desperation and frustration, I prayed. “Lord, if I really deserve a raise, please give me one. I’m done trying.”
I believe it’s important to note that this simple prayer did two things: 1) it left the door open for God to judge whether a raise was truly merited, and 2) it let Him know that I was surrendering the entire situation to Him. (Meaning, I was open to His timing and His way.) Truly, after I prayed, I let it go. I no longer worried about it and simply set myself to do the best I could, believing God would take care of me.
Two weeks later, as I was driving to class, my boss called. He’d done some thinking and decided he was going to raise my pay after all. What’s more, his decided increase exceeded my own expectation. As I hung up the phone, I was both elated and moved to tears.
You see, if I had successfully convinced my boss to give me a raise, I would have missed the opportunity to experience the peace, joy, and abundance that only comes from God’s intervention and promotion.
I hope this encourages you today to stop wrestling with the injustices in your life. Instead, hand them over to the Lord through prayer, and refuse to worry, toil, or seek payment. Rest in knowing that at the right time and in the best way, God will bring justice and fill your life with abundant blessing.
With love,
Kaime
