Pain in the Knee

Since October 1 of last year, I’ve worked through a cleaning service at a large medical building 26 miles away, 4 hours a night, 5 nights a week. Before that, I’d applied to many jobs, from grunt to management and all points in between. But, nobody would hire me. Rarely would I get any feedback at all. I’d been out of the job market for too long and nobody wanted to take a chance (This story isn’t about my work hiatus, either…).

We had just had to replace my 1993 Explorer with a 2006 Focus and it was my responsibility to make the payments. My efforts to make enough money at cleaning homes for people failed and I had to look to others for employment.

There were two jobs I’d told myself after college that I would never do again: cleaning office buildings and assembly work. But, I was desperate to make the car payments and applied for anything I thought I could remotely do.

The cleaning service job interview call came right in the middle of a discussion with my husband about my not having a job. I interviewed later that day and started work 2 days later. Although I thanked God for providing a job with just enough pay to make the car payment, I asked Him, “Is this all You can do?” I was not pleased at all about having to clean toilets (12 of them in this building) and handle garbage.

I prayed every night for God to please give me the strength, stamina, and efficiency for this very physical job, as I knew that my 43-year-old decrepit body couldn’t do it without His help. As the 26-mile drive was through deer, possum, and turkey country, I prayed for Him to please protect me from destroying any of His creatures.

He did.

He blessed me with a job that allowed me to see a lot of wildlife without harm. He blessed me with a job that allowed me time alone to pray and praise Him. He blessed me with a job that gave me work free from constant management. He blessed me with a job that provided people who were friendly towards me. He blessed me with a job that humbled me.

Recently, after urging from my husband to find a job closer to home that may provide a future to grow with, the Lord lay on my heart to find another job. I looked through the Want Ads and found one to apply to through the local Job Service. I had no idea what the company did, but did know that the company was a factory (Remember the jobs I told myself I would never do?).

I applied.

Two days later, I got a call from the Human Resources gal at this factory. I was not having a good hair day and my attitude oozed through. She asked if she could ask a few questions over the phone to screen for an in-person interview. She noticed that I’d had an 8-year hiatus from full-time work and had only started a part-time job a few months ago.

Then she asked, “What makes you want a full-time job after working a part-time job for a few months?”

I shot back, “For the same reason most people want full-time work: NEED!”

She then asked me where I saw myself being in the future. Without missing a beat, I told her that, before my 8-year hiatus, I’d made 20$/hour and saw myself doing so again, either through her company or elsewhere. She said she’d call back if they wanted an interview.

After I hung up, I apologized to God for my bad attitude and behavior and said, “If I get an interview out of this exchange, God, it’s all You!”

The next day, she called for an interview.J

I went into the interview prayerfully. I knew I’d blown every interview in the past 8 years and needed God to speak through me on this.

He did.

Many of my answers that day, given without hesitation, surprised me. I returned home knowing I could have the job if I wanted it. But, I also knew that my current job came from God. Was He done with me there yet?

“”For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord (Isaiah 55:8).”

I had to talk to my current supervisor anyway that day, so I called her and gave her the heads up that I’d probably be giving her 2 weeks notice soon. Two hours later, she called me back and offered me more pay to stay. I called Mom and told her all that had happened. I told her I needed to pray for guidance on what to do. Perplexed, Mom asked me why God would want me to stay at a job for half the hours, 3x the distance plus one day a week more? After I hung up, I took a nap after praying for guidance. When I woke up, I had the message: “Don’t disappoint your Mother.”

Hmmmmm…..

“Seek the Lord while He may be found: call on Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6).”

I went into work that night and talked to God. I thanked Him for His many blessings. I told Him that I really needed help on deciding this, as what He wanted from me didn’t always jive with what I wanted. I asked God to give me a clear sign, beating me over the head with His answer, as I was sometimes pretty dense.

Just then, as I’d done hundreds of times before, I knelt to pick up garbage, as people always missed the garbage cans. Just then, a pain so intense shot through my knee that I shouted in pain. I began to bawl. It hurt so badly!

I cried to God: “O.K., You gave me your answer loud and clear; I’ll take the other job! Please, please, take this pain away!”

He did.

I accepted the assembly job and gave the cleaning service two weeks notice.

My knee? I told you; it’s not about my knee.J

JESUS IS the Bridge Ministries