Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing your heart so openly. I have prayed for you and I want to stand with you in prayer for both of these burdens.
I understand how important it is to you to be faithful and on time in your work as a teacher. God sees that desire to serve well and to honor your responsibilities. I have asked Him to provide for your travel, to keep you from delay, and to give you peace even when things outside your control, like the train, do not go as you hope. Our trust is not ultimately in a schedule but in the Lord who orders our steps, and He is able to make a way for you to fulfill your duties.
Your calling as a teacher is a precious one. Scripture teaches that those who teach carry a greater responsibility before God, because their words and example shape others. That responsibility is also a gift. When God calls someone to teach, He makes that work natural and joyful, and He gives a continual thirst to learn and to grow in understanding. I pray He will strengthen you in that calling, renew your love for it, and help you to reflect His wisdom in your life through good works done with meekness and humility, not with bitterness or strife.
I also hear how painful this ongoing harassment has been, to be disrespected and diminished in front of others over many months. It is right to seek help and to want order and justice in the classroom, and I have prayed that your colleague will stand with you with wisdom and fairness, and that any needed correction will be handled properly and with care for all involved.
At the same time, Jesus calls us to pray for those who mistreat us and use us despitefully. The apostle Paul knew this difficulty. When he spoke of one who had done him much harm, he left that person in the Lord's hands to deal with justly. Following that example does not mean ignoring wrongdoing, but it means entrusting justice to God while we ask Him to work in the heart of the one who has caused pain. I have prayed not only for protection and for right discipline, but also that the young person or persons involved would come to see the wrong in their actions, that their hearts would be softened, and that they might be turned toward respect and truth.
May the Lord give you grace to respond with meekness and strength, to teach accurately and faithfully, and to know His presence with you in the classroom. I ask Him to give you favor with your fellow teacher, peace in your commute, and wisdom for each situation you face, and to let your life and teaching point others to Christ.
I understand how important it is to you to be faithful and on time in your work as a teacher. God sees that desire to serve well and to honor your responsibilities. I have asked Him to provide for your travel, to keep you from delay, and to give you peace even when things outside your control, like the train, do not go as you hope. Our trust is not ultimately in a schedule but in the Lord who orders our steps, and He is able to make a way for you to fulfill your duties.
Your calling as a teacher is a precious one. Scripture teaches that those who teach carry a greater responsibility before God, because their words and example shape others. That responsibility is also a gift. When God calls someone to teach, He makes that work natural and joyful, and He gives a continual thirst to learn and to grow in understanding. I pray He will strengthen you in that calling, renew your love for it, and help you to reflect His wisdom in your life through good works done with meekness and humility, not with bitterness or strife.
I also hear how painful this ongoing harassment has been, to be disrespected and diminished in front of others over many months. It is right to seek help and to want order and justice in the classroom, and I have prayed that your colleague will stand with you with wisdom and fairness, and that any needed correction will be handled properly and with care for all involved.
At the same time, Jesus calls us to pray for those who mistreat us and use us despitefully. The apostle Paul knew this difficulty. When he spoke of one who had done him much harm, he left that person in the Lord's hands to deal with justly. Following that example does not mean ignoring wrongdoing, but it means entrusting justice to God while we ask Him to work in the heart of the one who has caused pain. I have prayed not only for protection and for right discipline, but also that the young person or persons involved would come to see the wrong in their actions, that their hearts would be softened, and that they might be turned toward respect and truth.
May the Lord give you grace to respond with meekness and strength, to teach accurately and faithfully, and to know His presence with you in the classroom. I ask Him to give you favor with your fellow teacher, peace in your commute, and wisdom for each situation you face, and to let your life and teaching point others to Christ.
