Recently, at a job interview, I was instructed to describe myself as an employee. I responded by saying things like, capable, competent, responsible, hard-working, creative, and a quick study.

Another question at a job interview asked me to describe my personality. My answer included things like cheerful, optimistic, friendly, outgoing, kind, and caring.

Then I went to work at a call center where I am one of 1500 agents receiving, answering, and servicing phone calls.

Don’t get me wrong, I am THANKFUL to have a job — thankful for God’s provision.

But I hate the job.

Granted, I’ve done it for three days outside of training. It will get better — I have to believe that and I know that it is true. However, right now, I am tired of coming home in tears everyday, feeling like I’m too stupid to do a job that I did twenty years ago. Yes, systems change and processes are different. Yes, I’ve been in a classroom with young people for fifteen years. Yes, I much prefer to move around, to have flexibility, and to be allowed to invent, create, and share a part of myself with those I’m helping.

But I’m a professional and I CAN DO THIS.

But I’m a PROFESSIONAL and now I’m working in jeans and a t-shirt.

Seems silly doesn’t it? I use to beg my boss for a “jeans” days and now I can wear them all the time.

And I hate it.

I don’t feel like a professional. I don’t feel competent. I don’t feel capable.

Enough of the pity party!

I heard a story once. Satan was having a yard sell. He was selling many of his tools because he’d gotten new and improved versions. He decided to clean out his tool shed and was selling things like greed, lust, anger, exhaustion, selfishness, and jealousy. On another table he had placed the tools of poor self-image, wealth, incompetence, fear, lack of resources, and depression.

His last table held one tool only. It had the highest price and yet it looked like the most innocuous of all of the tools. When asked why this one was valued so highly, Satan smiled and answered, “This was my most valuable tool. It worked better than any other and all I had to do was plant a small seed. Then I would stand back and let the person take over. This small seed did all of my work for me — with it I could destroy a church, a family, a good intention, or a positive work.

“You see, with this tool, I could plant a seed and destroy a person — or at the very least, I could destroy his or her effectiveness. This is the tool of discouragement. If a person is discouraged I’ve won. I don’t have to do anything else because the discouraged person will destroy himself.”

How about you? Ever felt incompetent? Incapable? Self-doubting? Discouraged?

God can pull those seeds of discouragement that are at the root of that feeling. He can and He wants to.

When seeds of discouragement take root, we become weak, angry, and ineffective.

And then, Satan wins.

We can’t let him; he hasn’t earned it.

Yes, it’s a small battle and we KNOW that our Heavenly Father will win the war, but we don’t want to let Satan have even a small, teeny, tiny victory. God can make the difference.

I will be honest and tell you that I am diligently seeking other employment and my supporting, loving, encouraging, and hugging husband has told me I don’t have to go back to work at the call center. I’m spending the weekend praying and I may not.

Either way, I’ve asked God to remove those seeds of discouragement that Satan planted…I’ve let them grow long enough.

In the meanwhile, please pray for us that God will pull those discouragement weeds and will place both of us in jobs that use our abilities and skills. Pray that we will both find jobs where we can minister to others and be effective in our community — not only in our ministry in the church, but in our neighborhood and our town as well.

Let’s also look around us for those people who are fighting discouragement and pray for them. And then, let’s encourage them.