Beware of Snakes
I’ve never had an enemy before.
No, let me correct that. I’ve never had a known enemy before, you know, besides the devil.
Since I accepted a promotion at work on September 23, I’ve been publicly shunned by someone I’ve been closely working with for nearly a year. We were both aware that we were both being considered for the promotion. And seemingly, they were fine with us being colleagues, until we became competitors.
The day my promotion was announced, the hostile behavior towards me began. Since then, they have removed me from a team chat, accused me of gaslighting and sabotaging their success, openly discredited my experience and qualifications, left a restroom because they saw me using the sink, noticeably distanced themselves from standing near me at an event, and didn’t invite me to a meeting they scheduled for a project I initiated. Months later, they are still giving me the silent treatment and turning off their camera every time I speak in a meeting.
Although I have every right to defend myself against this enemy, the Holy Spirit won’t allow me to do so. There have even been at least three occasions I’ve told God, “I don’t care what you say. I’m sick of this, I’m saying something today. Enough is enough.” And each time, the enemy didn’t show up, the enemy left early, or the opportunity to confront the enemy never presented itself. Instead, the Lord has literally been fighting for me through others. I’ve had several colleagues who have noticed the hostile behavior towards me and reported it to leadership. They have supported, encouraged and advocated for me in a way that I’ve never experienced in a professional setting.
I know this new job is evidence of God’s favor on my life, and I’m extremely grateful that He trusts me with this opportunity. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that dealing with this enemy has soured this moment for me. Dealing with this has also eaten away at my happiness during this season. And at times, it’s been difficult to rejoice in what God has done for me, because I can’t stop thinking about what the enemy is doing to me.
But since it’s painfully clear that the Spirit won’t allow me to “go off” on the enemy as I desire, I’ve been asking God what He wants me to learn from this experience. Here are a few takeaways:
Everyone has enemies.
God will always fight for me, but He decides whether to use my sword or the sword of my neighbor. Victory is victory.
We disarm our enemies when we choose to respond to them in unexpected ways (i.e. kindness, patience, etc).
Peace that exceeds understanding is possible in every situation.
While this experience has been painful in many ways, I’m grateful that God revealed a wolf that was hiding among the sheep that surround me. As this situation continues to deepen my obedience and submission to His will, I’m doing my best to stand still and wait in expectation for the salvation of the Lord (Exodus 14:13). And I can’t wait to share the testimony!