#9: How to Deal With a Crappy Job

Before last Friday, I had never been laid off before.  Guess I can’t say that anymore.

I don’t say that to generate sympathy, but to bring up a topic that’s on the minds of a lot of repatriating missionaries:  the fact that our day jobs so often pale in comparison to what we’ve already done.

When we were overseas, most of us were driven by passion.  We had a passion for what we were doing and for the lost.  Many of us were not paid to work, and those of us who were probably weren’t paid much.  While there were a lot of mundane tasks to be done, it wasn’t difficult to attach importance to the boring stuff.  Even if you spent most of the time building Excel spreadsheets, on some level you knew that it had an effect on Kingdom-building endeavors.  And if you got bored, it usually wasn’t hard to find something more exciting to attach yourself to (“Hey, anybody want to go to India next month?”).

Now we’ve landed, and the jobs we find ourselves in may be more about paying the bills than saving the lost.  Hardly the labor of love that we’ve grown accustomed to.  And don’t even get me started on coworkers.

When I first came back to the US, I got a temporary office job.  It was arranged by my pastor’s wife, and it was a good job.  But I was bored stiff.  Every day it was the same thing, when I was used to a new adventure every five minutes.  After that, I worked at a group home for Severely Emotionally Disturbed children.  Two weeks after training ended, I was bit by a seven-year-old.  That should have been a red flag (and honestly, that wasn’t even the worst situation I had to deal with), but out of necessity I stayed there for over two years.

Most recently, I was working 60 to 70 hours a week selling ice cream.  Part of me wished for the group home job back.  I used to travel the world telling people about Jesus, and now I couldn’t get over the fact that all of my time went to selling ice cream.  I’d been to the pyramids, dangit!

Cue the tiny violin playing sad, “Woe is me” music.

I don’t like to complain–that’s not my point here–but surely a lot of you can relate.  Even if you’re not being bit by children or working until you pass out from sheer exhaustion, a lot of us have found it difficult to return to any kind of day job after we transition out of our missionary lifestyles.

I’ve had a lot of bad jobs.  But there are a few key scriptures and Godly insights that have helped me through the rough times.  Here are a few of them.

First of all, pray for patience.  I know everyone tells you not to do it, but if your patience is already being tested, then it couldn’t hurt to ask God to zap you with some.  While you’re at it, ask God to help you find meaning in what you do now.

James 1:2-4 reminds me that God has taken me through a lot of trials and has developed perseverance through it all.  Yes, trials and temptations can include your cubicle–and you’re not a sissy for thinking so.

Colossians 3: 23-24, although kind of annoying when I don’t want to hear it, encourages me to do my best even in the mundane or seemingly useless stuff, because the way in which I do my job CAN be a witness to my boss and my coworkers.  This is one that I really struggled with at my last job, but toward the end I tried implementing it.  And surprisingly, it made the hours less dreadful, because I wasn’t mentally making excuses to my boss for work I’d left half-done.

I Peter–the whole book–was a way to frame my “suffering” with those who are actually persecuted, and helped me to realize that in the grand scheme I don’t have it all that bad.  However, it also reminded me that God doesn’t compare my suffering with anyone else’s, and that He’s still with me through what was for me a very difficult situation.  It reminded me that even though I couldn’t see the value in what I was working for, God was using it for His glory and my benefit.

And finally, Genesis, chapters 37-44–the story of Joseph.  Here was a guy who heard clearly from God, and shared what God had said (not unlike a missionary).  As a direct result, he was subjected to unthinkable cruelty by his own brothers.  We can assume he had moments of despair in slavery; even more so when he was imprisoned for refusing to sin with Potiphar’s wife.  But God was using Joseph’s slavery and imprisonment for His glory.  Joseph spent 13 years in ignominy after his initial calling, before being elevated by God to the second-highest position of influence in the world at the time.

Joseph is proof to me that God isn’t done with us after one important or exciting phase of our life is over.  That’s what Life After Missions is all about.

Now how about you?  You’ve read this far; how about some feedback?  What do you do for a day job now?  Do you like it or is it really hard?  What are some scriptures or stories that help you make sense of it?  And what dream or vision do you now hope to bring to life?  Share in the comments below.