What to Do when You're Discontent at Your Job

Dear reader,

I must admit this letter is embarrassing to write, it's necessary to show my humanness of course, but still, humility does often join together with failure or shortcomings.

Most of you know I recently began a job at a factory. It mainly produces and packages cookies and crackers. I've been with this company for a smidge over 30 days now, and I can confidently say I have done everything in my power to dislike the job and complain about every detail.

Most of you know the characters of the story ‘Winnie the Pooh’.

One of the characters that live in the Hundred Acre Woods alongside Pooh is Eeyore. A donkey who grumbles complains and naturally looks at the world around him through a lens of constant depression or dissatisfaction.

These past thirty days I have been this factory's Eeyore and I'm not proud of it.

My natural inclination to look for the positive side of every situation was squashed to pieces. My humor was dulled, and the joy I once carried around and shared with others was nowhere to be found.

I was miserable. And I chose to be this way.

For the past month, I was faced with undesirable circumstances at the factory. My career went from playing with children and teaching using creative methods to making sure cookies weren't broken or mishappened and putting them in a box. Not a lifestyle shift I wanted or asked for. Yet necessary for a season, and I wanted to be in denial. I wanted to feel like I was given unjust circumstances. I shook my fist at God and was so bitter towards Him. As if this was all His fault.

I'm human. We both can agree that when it comes to my ideas and ways and God's desires and plans we don't always see eye to eye.

As I thought about how much I hated my circumstances I decided to change them. I began applying for jobs yet again to quickly replace what I detested. God placed His hand up and stopped me. Two jobs I should have been a shoe in for, he gently set down, He didn't want me to do that, He wanted me at the factory.

I wanted to plead my case before Him, I wanted to show Him He was wrong.

You cannot show God that He made a mistake. He is perfect, He can do no wrong.

Me on the other hand, I was being Eeyore to my fullest capacity. Stubborn and unwilling to bend.

On Wednesday I took a day to pray and fast. All throughout the day I found myself talking to God about everything in front of me, everything I feared, everything I wanted to complain about. He went on to show me how the way I was behaving was extremely childish and not justified whatsoever. Sternly yet kindly He was clear, "Stop it."

"But-"

"No, you are not God. Stop it, son, submit yourself to my will, it is for your benefit."

He allowed me to break. He allowed me to whine and bicker. He also brought me back into His loving arms and reshaped how I viewed everything.

He blessed me with a job that will take care of all my financial needs and then some.

He gave me a community of people that need to feel the love of Christ and hear the hope of the Gospel.

He placed me in a new mission field.

Who am I to defy the Lord of All Things?

Sincerely Your Fellow Cookie Packer,

-Mitchell