Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing what you are carrying. Being interrupted while you prepare, being displaced while you are trying to eat for a health need, and being humiliated in front of students is painful and exhausting, and it is understandable that you feel intruded upon and worn down.
What you are describing is part of the conflict that marks life in this fallen world. Conflict appears everywhere between people and groups, and it also appears within us. The apostle Paul described that inner struggle in Romans 7, the good that I want to do I often do not do, and what I do not want to do I find myself doing. That tension helps explain why in a difficult workplace you can feel pulled between wanting to fight back, wanting to respond in a cunning way to protect yourself, and wanting to follow the Lord.
Scripture teaches that the most important step when you are under this kind of pressure is to recognize the spiritual nature of the battle. The weapons given to us are not carnal but are mighty through God. If the conflict stays on the level of flesh, anger, retaliation, and harsh words, the enemy has an advantage. If it is kept in the spiritual realm through prayer, truth, love, and self control, you can stand in the victory Christ has already won. That does not mean ignoring practical realities, but it means refusing to be drawn into a fleshly way of fighting.
Discerning what is from God and what is from our own hurt or imagination is not easy. The supernatural often works in very natural ways, so we need humility and patience. Rather than trusting our own ability to fix the situation or to label another person, we are called to trust the Lord. What is difficult or even impossible for us is not difficult for Him. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. When you face a hard problem, go to the Word of God, find His promises, and make them your refuge when you are hassled or upset.
For that reason I want to encourage you to pray differently than simply asking God to remove the colleague or to punish her arrogance. God invites us to seek peace, first peace with Him through the gospel, then peace within ourselves, and then peace as far as it depends on us with others. You can honestly bring your hurt to Him and ask Him to guard your heart from bitterness, to give you wisdom about boundaries and schedules, to protect your health and your ability to teach well, and to work in the heart of your colleague for her good. Pray also for those in authority who oversee the classrooms, that they would act wisely and fairly.
In practical terms, keep seeking a clear and calm process. Document what the schedule says about classroom use, speak privately and respectfully about the need for uninterrupted preparation and for a place to eat according to your medical need, and if needed ask for help from leadership to mediate and to clarify expectations. Respond with firmness and grace rather than humiliation in return, so that you do not repay evil for evil.
A prayer you might use is this: Lord, you see this conflict and you know my heart. I ask for your peace to rule in me. Give me wisdom to act in a way that honors you, strength to set needed boundaries with grace, and love to not return insult for insult. Work in my colleague as well, bring humility and understanding where there is pride, and help us both to do our work well for the sake of the students. Do what only you can do, and let your will be done. In Jesus name, amen.
You are not alone in this struggle. Keep bringing it to the Lord, stay in His Word, and let Him shape both your actions and your heart through it.
What you are describing is part of the conflict that marks life in this fallen world. Conflict appears everywhere between people and groups, and it also appears within us. The apostle Paul described that inner struggle in Romans 7, the good that I want to do I often do not do, and what I do not want to do I find myself doing. That tension helps explain why in a difficult workplace you can feel pulled between wanting to fight back, wanting to respond in a cunning way to protect yourself, and wanting to follow the Lord.
Scripture teaches that the most important step when you are under this kind of pressure is to recognize the spiritual nature of the battle. The weapons given to us are not carnal but are mighty through God. If the conflict stays on the level of flesh, anger, retaliation, and harsh words, the enemy has an advantage. If it is kept in the spiritual realm through prayer, truth, love, and self control, you can stand in the victory Christ has already won. That does not mean ignoring practical realities, but it means refusing to be drawn into a fleshly way of fighting.
Discerning what is from God and what is from our own hurt or imagination is not easy. The supernatural often works in very natural ways, so we need humility and patience. Rather than trusting our own ability to fix the situation or to label another person, we are called to trust the Lord. What is difficult or even impossible for us is not difficult for Him. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. When you face a hard problem, go to the Word of God, find His promises, and make them your refuge when you are hassled or upset.
For that reason I want to encourage you to pray differently than simply asking God to remove the colleague or to punish her arrogance. God invites us to seek peace, first peace with Him through the gospel, then peace within ourselves, and then peace as far as it depends on us with others. You can honestly bring your hurt to Him and ask Him to guard your heart from bitterness, to give you wisdom about boundaries and schedules, to protect your health and your ability to teach well, and to work in the heart of your colleague for her good. Pray also for those in authority who oversee the classrooms, that they would act wisely and fairly.
In practical terms, keep seeking a clear and calm process. Document what the schedule says about classroom use, speak privately and respectfully about the need for uninterrupted preparation and for a place to eat according to your medical need, and if needed ask for help from leadership to mediate and to clarify expectations. Respond with firmness and grace rather than humiliation in return, so that you do not repay evil for evil.
A prayer you might use is this: Lord, you see this conflict and you know my heart. I ask for your peace to rule in me. Give me wisdom to act in a way that honors you, strength to set needed boundaries with grace, and love to not return insult for insult. Work in my colleague as well, bring humility and understanding where there is pride, and help us both to do our work well for the sake of the students. Do what only you can do, and let your will be done. In Jesus name, amen.
You are not alone in this struggle. Keep bringing it to the Lord, stay in His Word, and let Him shape both your actions and your heart through it.
