Saturday, March 8, 2008

I Walked Out of Hell Today

My husband describes hell as the place where God's gracious presence is absent. I know I came close to this in my last place of work. There was no grace in that place. No understanding that people can and do make mistakes that they can be sorry for and will work to never do again. No, I worked in a zero tolerance environment where people were plotted against, slandered, disrespected, and treated harshly. It is a place where appearences were important; so important that they candy coated the dung that was underneath to make everything appear peachy. Lies were courted while the truth was hidden. Hard workers were not appreciated. People who aligned themselves with the popular and powerful, no matter how distasteful it might be to them, were the ones who were rewarded and recognized. Keeping up appearences was more important than solving real problems. The ones who were unlucky enough to be in the "in crowd" were blamed, put down, and degraded. I don't know what hell really is like, but it sure seems this place was close to it.

Yesterday was my last day. I got to walk out of there. And I walked out triumphant and with my head held high. I did the best I could. I worked the hardest I was able to work. I loved my charges and took care of them as if they were my own. I did what was right, despite the consequences. I was persecuted for my faith and did not falter. In fact, I even was able to witness to Christ in that time. I am now on to bigger and better things in a Christian environment and I am really looking forward to it!

I walked out of hell today, triumphant and with my head held high. It wasn't anything I did, really, but Christ who worked through the circumstance for His good will, that I would witness to those He put in my life. He forgave me when I sinned and pointed me back to the cross. I am glad to say: Chapter over. I completed it. Now, I can't wait to get to the next chapter of my life.