Hostility in the workplace

From my distress I called upon the Lord; The Lord answered me and set me in a large place. The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me...

 ~Psalm 118:5-7

Dear God,

The sun is so bright this morning that I could wear sunglasses inside the cottage. The air is crisp and the grass still damp from the early morning showers leaving me with the promise of new growth and blooms in my gardens. I'm feeling giddy (almost like a kid in a big candy store) anticipating the beauty that is about to burst forth. The cottage gave me inspiration to establish a country cottage garden full of roses, azaleas, gardenias, and seasonal perennials. Thank you for the creative juices and vision. I have my own Garden of Eden!

Last night, I got an instant message from a Reader requesting prayer. I feel so honored to be able to stand in the gap and lift those I have come to love up before You. Father, you've given your children bold spirits and the knowledge that you are behind the scenes working on our behalf. What comfort that is!

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,

but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. 

~II Timothy 1:7

So much has been on the news and written about bullying. There's something though that we still don't hear too much about and that is bullying in the workplace. I have experienced this first hand and, I must say, working in a hostile environment is NOT a pleasant thing.

Some years ago now, I had a new job that I was so excited about. I've always been an exemplary employee and gave 110% to the companies I'd worked for. I wasn't expecting my work to be sabotaged, me being made fun of (in an ugly way), and taunted to the point of tears. Did management know? Yes. What was done? A simple meeting to say, "Stop this nonsense." That's it, no follow-up, no support, no nothing. Did Human Resources know? Yes. I knew I was in a no win situation and was worn down to the point that I chose to leave. I haven't spoken about this before but in prayer today this came up and my hands started clacking away on my keyboard. I couldn't change the situation so I needed to change my own course. Today, I am strong and would have claimed victory in a different way but then, my self-esteem had been whittled down to nothing and I needed to get away and heal. Sad, but true...

There are some human beings on this planet who choose to annihilate, hurt, maim, and destroy the human spirit. I'm sure you've heard the saying, "Hurt people hurt people." That's true, but, oh my goodness, it doesn't excuse the ripping and tearing of the flesh and spirit. Wrong is wrong ~ no excuses.

Father God in Heaven, I pray that you would grant an extra measure of strength to all those going through bullying in the workplace and enduring the hostility that goes along with it. May they put on the full armor of God that would prepare them for victory. Let bullying be exposed for what it is and move parents, teachers, managers, and all authorities to be bold in eradicating this evil. To ignore is to condone. Protect and provide for your children, Lord, giving them words to say and wisdom to know how to handle their individual hurts. Open the doors of communication for all of us knowing that as long as there is a willingness to work peacefully with our fellow man, there will be progress. Let freedom from opression ring loud and clear in the name of Jesus who leads us in the battles of life.

Amen!

Miss Dottie

NOTE TO READERS: Kenny Rogers sang a song about a gambler ~ "You got to know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em." That's so true about so many things in life. There are times to stand our ground and times to walk away with our heads held high. Wisdom is knowing which road to take!