A God-directed life

by Melissa Konetchy

Several years ago, I found myself living in Los Angeles, feeling rather alone and friendless, and having difficulty at work. I was lost. Shortly after my boyfriend broke up with me and I lost my job, I really reached rock bottom. My family invited me to move home until I found my bearings, and with humility and gratitude I left the city of angels.

Never had I found myself unemployed, since my very first job. My daily prayer was to feel God’s direction, and to serve Him however and wherever I was guided. That included complimentary babysitting and dishwashing, and lending a hand at anything that would enable me to be of service. One morning I woke up with a clear action plan. Although nowhere near the top of my list of places to search for work, I was impelled to look for temporary employment through a local staffing agency. My interview that day led to a full-time position in the recruiting field.

After a lovely first few months with the firm, I requested a transfer to an office in my home town, with a significantly reduced commute. The situation sounded ideal, and within a month the transition took place. Immediately, I found myself confronting a very challenging work setting. Between my colleagues discussing the most intimate details of their personal lives, and behavior that seemed unprofessional and immature at work—or anywhere—I was having serious misgivings about my decision to transfer offices, or even work for the company. I wondered how my prayers led me there.

My aunt lovingly reminded me that we cannot afford to see people in any way other than how God sees them, and made them: sinless, pure, gracious, loving. Armed with love, I went to battle…er…the office.

I refused to see anything other than good, loving, wholesome colleagues, very pro-actively replacing jaded or selfish perceptions with grateful, pure perceptions of them (and myself). And the office changed, dramatically. In fact, not only did it change in the short term, but the entire office personnel changed within a few months. Our corporate team offered me the branch management position, but I deeply felt that this was not the right job, for me.

The two new employees that joined my team were a delight to work with. We sometimes had opportunities to talk about prayer and God’s direction in our lives, and I got to practice my Spanish-speaking and listening skills. One of my colleagues and I used to go to concerts together, and we both really enjoyed the opportunity to have a close female friend. Before the year had ended, I accepted a position with another firm, and began anew.

Two months ago my concert-going girlfriend invited me to the christening of her new daughter. It was wonderful to catch up, and talk about the wonderful and progressive changes I had experienced since we worked together. Our other former colleague was also at the party, and we spoke in depth about the importance of actively loving everyone you encounter; not only looking diligently for their good qualities, but refusing to see anything else. She told me that she had learned this lesson well, from me, 2 years earlier, during the brief month that we worked together. I was stunned! That day I had learned an important lesson. When our motive is to know God, feel His presence, and obey his guidance, we leave a wake of healing. This was even true for me.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 1st, 2007 at 1:07 pm and is filed under Career. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response.