My dilemma (and how God helped me)
By Tim Kingham
This blog from a Trustee of CViE shares experiences in work where, as a believer, you are confronted by a conflict between your Christian principles, and a requirement with your job.
The author shares how prayer and trust are always the way to engage these situations.
Having begun my apprenticeship, I had many opportunities to complete training, both ‘on-the-job’, at college, and externally.
When I was approximately two years into my apprenticeship, I was asked to attend quite a specialist training course, that would enable me to operate some test equipment that was essential for my job.
I was looking forward to this training – it was to be held in Berlin, and I hadn’t been to Germany before. However, I soon faced a few difficulties.
Firstly, the course was held only once a year in Europe, and was scheduled Monday-Thursday, starting at 9 a.m. on the Monday. To arrive in Germany in time, I would’ve had to fly out on Sunday, or earlier. To fly out earlier would incur additional costs for the company.
Secondly, I met with some opposition, from one colleague in particular. This was not aggressive, or antagonistic, as might be expected, but a subtle manipulation. She would say things like “travelling on a Sunday wouldn’t really be work, as such”, and so on. I found this difficult to respond to, especially coming from one who, until then had been exceptionally kind and gentle.
I knew it wouldn’t have been right for me to travel on the Sunday, but I also realised how important this training was for the role. I offered to travel on Saturday and bear any additional costs myself, and tried to pray about it.
In the course of making the arrangements, I was able to get in contact with the training provider, and, remarkably, after a number discussions, they offered to move the training course to start on Tuesday instead. This of course meant I could travel on the Monday, and I felt this was a clear answer to prayer. During this time, I came across Psalm 37:7 –
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
This encouraged me that God would be able to make a way for me. Verse 5 is also very applicable:
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
I was therefore able to attend the course as required, with no additional cost to myself or the company.
This may seem a small example to give, but it teaches us a few simple, yet profound lessons:
- We are not too young to pray
- There is nothing too small for us to pray about
- There is nothing too hard for God to deal with
Whether we have little things or great things, we are encouraged to bring them all to the Lord, and to trust in Him to do for us that which we need.
I hope this will be an encouragement to you, and that you will be helped to pray to God for help in your own needs, and also to stand firm when you may be asked to do something that is wrong.
