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Presented by Lisa Bishop
Is there someone in your workplace who gets under your skin? Let’s wrap up with being grateful for that coworker who gets on your nerves.
I know you are probably thinking I am crazy but stick with me. Who is someone at work you find yourself murmuring under your breath about? That person who raises your blood pressure, ignites your impatience, or causes you to complain in frustration.
Did you ever consider God may have placed them there for your sanctification? The coworker who bugs you with their behavior can actually be a blessing.
When we’re triggered by the behavior of others, Galatians 5 tells us that our flesh wants to react with hostility, quarreling, jealousy, selfish ambition, envy, and outbursts of anger.
But the Holy Spirit who is living in you and me produces a different kind of fruit in our lives when we earnestly love and follow Jesus.
He turns our fleshly response upside down and instead, as Galatians 5:22-23 says,
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
So how is an annoying coworker a benefit? When a coworker puts you on edge consider you are being positioned for an upgrade in the fruit of the Spirit. What do I mean by that? When you are frustrated, ponder the possibility that God may want to use that situation for your sanctification.
For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Matthew 12:34).
We know Jesus wants us to become more and more like him and reflect his heart and he will place us in circumstances that show us where we need to grow in spiritual maturity.
This is a very kind and loving thing for him to do because he wants to transform our hearts and minds so our words and actions are in alignment with who he created us to be—carriers and conduits of his love, grace, and mercy.
Our lives are meant to be a witness to a different way of life, and when the fruit of the Holy Spirit is your go-to, others will see something different reflected in you.
The next time you find your flesh ready to respond, ask the Holy Spirit to help you with a renewed response.
When a coworker does that thing that used to bug you, stop and ask the Holy Spirit: How is this person the gateway to producing patience, kindness, or love in me?
