Most of us have found ourselves working next to someone that really grates on every single nerve. I’d love to tell you how I rose above it. I’m ashamed to say, I can be as petty as the next person. I’ve failed miserably, which is why I’m sharing this with you.

I had been in a food service position, happily working away. Well, almost. The early morning hours were really not to my liking, and I had to make adjustments in my life to accommodate the schedule. But that was the only true downside, but a daily reminder to consider another line of employment. Foodservice requires a good bit of prep work, and I welcomed the repetition because it gave me space to think about my writing. Most conversations in kitchens aren’t terribly deep. Being reserved, methodical and quiet I tend to blend in rather than stand out. I’m a friend of peace and quiet.

Then one day, a new hire appeared, my total opposite in far too many ways. Her constant chatter and remarks so early in the morning eroded my sense of quietude. In those first few months, She grabbed onto every offense and tainted the air with negative observations and pronouncements. I extended an invitation to lunch—my treat—away from the job. I hoped to have a one on one conversation and try to understand her. She said she’d take a rain check and never cashed it. I complained bitterly several times.

Gossiping, pretended friendliness and constant griping sawed the air. She attempted to throw me under the bus repeatedly. Over time, I made jokes at her expense and harbored dark feelings about her. I despised the new hire. To say my halo slipped a little would be a bold-faced lie. If I ever had a halo, it fell off with a loud clang and rolled straight to the edge of the pit of hell.

When God refines us, or hopes to, He turns up the heat. The job didn’t pay that well, but until she showed up, I’d been comfortable. It was mindless work easily done and required no exceptional skills unless you count paying attention so you didn’t cut your fingers off. I took the job as a sort of resting place, not a landing place. YHVH has used jobs not only to refine me but motivate me. After a frustrating two years, while in my prayer closet, I was on my face one afternoon calling out to God. “What am I supposed to do with this person?”

His answer surprised me.

“Apologize and ask their forgiveness.” WHAT? Not the expected answer and it hit me hard. I’d begun acting just like her. The next day, I waited for an opportunity and apologized with great sincerity. Shockingly, this woman did the same. I forgave her and the air cleared between us. I still wanted her to move on, and prayed again. God answered me a second time.

“She can’t move on. I want you to move on.” Oh! So I prayed for doors to open, and soon after opportunities revealed themselves. Within a few short weeks, I took a new job with a better schedule and happier people. Now able to use more of my skills, my pay increased and I developed my own business.

What does this mean for you?

It requires little effort on our part to maintain status quo. Sometimes it’s easier to put up with annoyances rather than make changes. It’s like pushing the snooze alarm. If you’re honest with yourself and look at your circumstances you might ask, “Is this the best I can do? Is this really the best use of my talents and abilities? How is my current job helping me evolve?”

Like many, I want things to be easy. Thing is, easy doesn’t mean best. Oftentimes, greater options await. Now I choose my environment. I can work from home, the road or a destination of my choosing. With this new freedom, I might travel to a lot more places. If I’d known how this was going to turn out, I would have thanked my former coworker for motivating me into a better station in life.

Are you feeling restless? Is there something else you could be or want to be doing? What are the biggest dreams you have for your career or personal life? How can you start making those a reality today? What if you started a list of your talents? Maybe something that hasn’t been used much is your next superpower.

Let me know what you think. Put your thoughts or comments in the box below.