"I Feel Lost"

Your word is a lamp to walk by,
and a light to illumine my path.

Psalm 119:105 

 

Ever felt lost?  Ever wondered if your efforts made a difference for anyone else?  Ever wonder why you do the things you do?  Ever wonder why you do the same things over and over?  Have you lost your satisfaction with your life and feel helpless because you don't see a way to change?

 

Yeah.....me too!

 

You see, we ALL feel helpless and under-appreciated at times.  We ALL feel as though we are being taken for granted.  We ALL feel trapped and lost at times. 

 

Most of the times I start feeling lost and wonder if I make a difference are the times when I am trying to live through my own strength and determination.  That quickly fades into frustration because I have put myself in the place of my Boss.  Now, I thank God every day for my boss, Sheriff Leon Lott, who has given me the opportunity to serve the men and women of the Department.  But I am also grateful to my Boss, God, who worked my life in such a way, through all its dips, turns, twists, failures, and screw-ups to be where He wanted me to be when He appointed me to be there so the Sheriff would be willing to give me a chance.

 

When we look in the mirror and declare that "I AM THE MASTER OF MY LIFE" then we are missing the truth.  The truth is more powerful than that, yet so simple, it is God who gives us life and breath...it is God and God alone who created us and appointed us to be here at this moment.  We do have choices, because God did not create us to be puppets, but we must not forget that HE is our Boss!  And He puts us where He appointed us to be (even though that doesn't mean we will always like it) to fulfill the purpose He has planned for us. 

It's All About Attitude!

Whatever work you do, do it with all your heart. Do it for the Lord and not for men. Remember that you will get your reward from the Lord. He will give you what you should receive. You are working for the Lord Christ. If anyone does wrong, he will suffer for it. God does not respect one person more than another.

Colossians 3:23-25

I LOVE my job!  I just do!  Every day is a learning experience and every day is different.  I get to talk with people who may or may not have ever imagined talking to a Chaplain, much less one that's a bit......ummmm....unorthodox.  But I enjoy every aspect of my job!

Even though I love my job and the people I get to work with, there are many who don't see their job in the same light.  In fact, there are many people who are so unhappy with their work that their attitudes have begun to fester.  The truly sad part of this is that this infected attitude gets taken home to their families and spreads to others like a plague!

For years I worked in a job that I grew to despise.  Why? Because the salary was good and the hours weren't bad.  But the people I worked for and with were another story.  And....I brought it home with me every single day.  Which made my Bride miserable.  Finally, God opened the opportunity to leave that post to one I love!  You see, the lesson He taught me was that Attitude is important!  

I cannot stress this enough: ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT!

You see, when we are miserable, we don't tend to hide it very well for very long.  Eventually it will seep into every aspect of our lives and then we begin to wonder why people don't seem to want to be around us much anymore.  Attitude!  I'm not an advocate of the "Fake It 'Til You Make It" ideology because the Fake part will be far too obvious.  What I had to learn, albeit the hard way, is when I devote my work habits to God, then my attitude changes because I rely on Him to see me through the toughest storms (and there have been many of those).  

Would you rather trust the weatherman or the One who controls the Weather?  Sometimes the best attitude adjustment involves letting go of the very things or people who are bringing your attitude down (the parasites).  But remember, we work for God!

Horrible Boss?

Don’t leave your job
    just because your boss is angry with you.
Remaining calm solves great problems.

Ecclesiastes 10:4 

 

Ever had a boss who made you absolutely miserable?  You know, that boss that during staff meetings you dream of their ultimate excruciatingly and very public demise, possibly involving boiling lava, pitchforks, and some ravenous carnivorous brain beetles ?  The one that makes you yell vile profanities in your mind and you are afraid that one day you will say them out loud.

 

I've had bosses like that before.  As a matter of fact, the absolute worst one was the senior pastor of a church where I once worked.  When he entered the building, you could sense a disturbance in the force.  The closer he got to the office area, the birds outside would flee.  This person was OCD about being OCD and not afraid to berate the staff for the slightest perceived error.  It was a situation where I dreaded going to work.  My sweet bride would remind me that I didn't have to agree with the pastor, just do my job to the best of my ability. The best day I had in that position was the day I left.

 

But as horrible as that person made the job, I learned some valuable lessons.  

•  Chances are the horrible boss is not going to change.  But I can change MY interactions with the horrible boss. 
• Realize that they are the way they are for a reason.  Perhaps God is reminding me that I need to make some changes.  Perhaps it is so I can learn patience under fire.  Perhaps it is so I can learn how not to act.  Perhaps, and this is the truly painful part, I really am in need of correction for my attitude, performance, timeliness, accuracy.
• If my boss is upset with me about my attitude, I need to look at the attitude I show toward others as well (who haven't said anything to me about it, but have become distant).  Everyone likes to believe they are in the right and anyone who disagrees is in the wrong (we are NOT perfect and shouldn't act as though we are).

Here are the words of wisdom shared with me by a very wise person: "Only person you can change is you! So make the changes you need to make and don't be stupid enough to think you have nothing that needs changing. You can't change anyone else, but you can change how YOU react to THEM! Don't be resentful.  Don't be angry. And for goodness sake, don't let your mouth run free!"

Have a horrible boss?  Think on this...you are someone else's boss, so take care.  Could be your spouse who adores you, could be your child who needs to learn to become self-sufficient, could be your pet.  You are the boss to someone else, so make sure you set the example!