|
should I stay or should I go?
how do I know if it’s the right time
to switch jobs?
 
Ted is wondering if he needs a change in jobs.
Ted says: I’ve
been in the same job now for about five years. I like the company
OK, but I’m not sure where I stand; I don’t think I’m
appreciated. After a few months of searching, I finally received
an offer for a new position. It wasn’t anything special, but
it was a little more money and a good chance to make a change. I
went to my boss, expecting to give him notice and arrange a transition
plan. To my surprise, he strongly encouraged me to stay. He asked
if I could hold the new company off for a couple of days while he
put an offer together. I said I would, but when the new company
started pressuring me for a decision, I got nervous. Although this
was basically a no-lose situation, I was afraid I might screw it
up by not handling it correctly. I can’t believe how much
anxiety it caused. How do we deal with life decisions like this?
The expert says: Father Richard
Rohr is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation and
is a respected spiritual director. In his book, Everything Belongs,
he addresses the spiritual dilemma that comes from our need to control.
He says: “Our culture teaches us we have to compare, dominate,
control and insure. In brief, we have to be in charge. That need
to be in charge moves us deeper and deeper into a world of anxiety.”
So how do we avoid this anxiety? Father Rohr goes on to say that the
first thing we need to do is to realize that, “Life is not
about me; it’s about God, and God is about love.” So,
it’s not about what I want, it’s about how God asks
me to serve.
Ted responds: I kept playing out all the scenarios
in my head trying to sort out the right answer. Finally,
I couldn’t take the stress anymore and concluded that I didn’t
know – it’s not up to me! The one thing I did decide
was to let go and let God put the pieces of the puzzle together
for me. It turned out to be an easy decision to stay when my company
came back with a surprisingly good offer. I realized that maybe
this is where God wants me to be, and that instead of worrying about
being in control, I just need to focus on how I’m called to
serve the people around me, and let God take care of the rest.
Originally Published: November 2006
|
