Wang Huilin, who became a Christian in 2002 after suffering from depression, gained victory through the Lord in the difficult workplace.
In part I, she recalled how God helped her recover from depression and gained a firm foothold in the workplace. In this part, we will see how she broke through a bottleneck in the following challenging days.
IV. The difficult year of 2013
The hardest days in her work were in 2013. Wang found it unbearable to recall those days now. Think about it. If you had poor performance near the end of the year, what would it feel like? At that time, her 18-year-old son was preparing for the college entrance examination, but she only got paid a little bit every month Besides, the company had regulations that employees with poor performance as a result of not signing a single contract for the whole year would be automatically removed in the following year.
In 2013, she kept working on time every morning, attending various meetings and then going to find customers. Each time, she had the hope of signing the policy contracts, but just ended up dragging her tired body home. Such unproductive days made her suffer, and her work enthusiasm was fading away.
The New Year was approaching. When she thought of the upcoming removal after the festival, she felt like there was a mountain on her mind pressing against her day by day. The fear of unemployment was lingering on her heart. Even though no one said anything about it, she felt that she couldn’t persist. As time went on, the accumulated external and internal pressure made her breathless. In the face of the cruel reality, she felt frustrated and helpless. At home, her husband never complained about her and her son locked himself in the room, doing his homework quietly, but the two were afraid that an inappropriate word would make her sad. The love for her made her feel ashamed and uneasy.
At work, her colleagues began to be aloof from her. Although the leader didn't criticize her, he repeatedly stressed at the working meeting that those who don't have an insurance policy contract all year round would be removed after the year-end assessment. She knew it was criticism without naming her name, which made her feel ashamed. Her colleagues' being aloof from her made her feel disheartened as if she was on a lonely desert island. She intended to quit the job and find another one, but she didn't dare to make the move because she had difficulty in finding jobs suitable for her conditions. More importantly, she had been skilled in business skills and adapted to her working environment after a few years of work. If she found another job, she would take another two or three years to adapt to it. Besides, the work was flexible in hours, so she could go to church to rehearse hymns on Mondays and Wednesdays and get on stage to sing and praise God on Sundays.
The new year was approaching, with just over a month ahead. If she still had not signed a contract, she would have to leave. Wang didn’t dare to think about how she would handle it. She found it hard to eat well in the day and could not sleep well at night. Those suffering days made her waste away. Every morning when she woke up, she could find many hairs falling out onto the pillow.
These were tough days! Without any progress, she thought of relying on God in every possible way. Only the heavenly Father would not abandon his children who are in deep trouble. Only with God could her present situation be reversed. From that day on, she got up early every morning and came to the living room softly when her husband and children were still sleeping. After reading a Bible passage about Exodus, she began to pray. She asked God to have mercy on her, help her, and let her get through the most difficult year of 2013!
At that silent dawn, when she read the Bible, she would feel the loving Father stroking her head gently, and saying lovingly, "Don't be afraid, my child. As I am with you, you will definitely get through the difficulties." When she prayed, she felt the dove of the Holy Spirit fall on her shoulder, and her strength was multiplied to go to work again. When she went out to work against the rising sun every day, she worked hard all day with high spirits. Although she still did not sign a contract, she was no longer depressed but was full of joyful sunshine. In the period near the year-end, she kept knocking on strangers' doors or calling customers. Firmly believing that the Lord was there with her, and she would definitely get out of this difficulty by his virtue.
Wonderful things happened again. God finally heard her prayer. On one day less than 20 days before the year-end, she suddenly received a phone call from an old customer. The customer told her that he wanted to sign an insurance policy for his child. She was overjoyed and hurried to his home, and successfully signed the only insurance policy for the whole year. When Wang saw her husband and son, she held them and cried.
"Lord, you helped me in the most difficult time in my career. Lord, you held out your hands full of nail marks and saved my hard-won job", she murmured in her mind.
V. The Lord reconciled herself with her enemy colleagues.
With her short temper, sometimes she couldn’t help but lose her temper in the company about those things she did not like. But she also suffered vicious attacks and slander. She confronted colleagues when she was wronged. But the result was even worse. An elder colleague was particularly jealous of her, which made her uncomfortable. In this case, she asked God's instruction. When she turned to God, He told her that He is the avenger who knows all her sufferings. God told her to love her enemies and accept each other, always be patient and tolerant, and never let evil prevail over good, always be gentle and love herself. When she knelt down to pray, her heart was opened again and became calm and peaceful.
In the real workplace, although she could change others, she could change herself first. God had given her many lessons so that she could grow in certain areas of her life. Although the work was stressful and hard, she knew that work is given by God, and God gives all kinds of work to his children.
With God's instruction, she stopped asking others to change themselves. Instead, she first changed herself according to biblical teaching and forced herself to calm down after something happened, and checked what she did wrong against the Bible's words. Then according to the situation, she would patiently explore ways to solve the problem. For example, she stopped haggling over trivial matters with the elder colleague, gave precedence to her, and never criticized her to her face if it was her fault. She would talk to her in private in later, more suitable circumstances and let her know what was wrong. In this way, they got along with each other, and they became good partners at work.
At the end of the interview, Wang said, "I sincerely thank God! It is God who made me learn something unique in the work. It is also God who helped me in my most difficult time. God says, 'And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;' (Phil. 1: 9). God bless our work, and we should also be the blessings of others, the joy of others, and the mirror of Jesus Christ to illuminate the people around us. In one word, only by relying on the Lord can we win in the ups and downs of the workplace. Give all the fruits of our work to the heavenly father, and become a beautiful witness, honor God, and benefit people. Amen!"
When the interview was over, someone knocked at the door, saying that it was time for Wang to direct practicing hymns. Then a beautiful singing voice came out with the beautifully jingling melody and the loud and inspiring singing.
(The writer of this article is a special contributor to Gospel Times in Northwest China.)
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
接着上篇王惠林姊妹对笔者的讲述，让我们继续听她奋战职场的二、三事后半部分吧……
四、靠主得胜，让我度过了艰难的2013年。
要问我在职场上什么时候是我最艰难的日子？2013年是我在职场上最艰难的一年。现在回忆起那一年，会使我不堪回首。你想想，假如一个人在单位里，临近年末没有业绩会是什么感受？而又面临着18岁儿子冲刺高考的日子，你每月没有薪水拿回家，使日子过的紧巴巴。况且公司有规定，公司职员全年没有一份业绩单子，会在次年自动除名。
在这一年中，虽然我每天早晨按时去上班签到，然后参加单位各种会议，再去走街串巷跑客户。一次次背着待签保单、报着希望出门；一次次空手、拖着疲乏的身子回家。这样毫无建树的日子让我备受煎熬，让我曾经的工作热情渐渐消退。
面对愈来愈近的新年脚步，想象到年后即将来临的结局，感到脑海中莫名其妙的有座大山一天近似一天压向自己，在内心深处也有种面临失业的恐惧感窒息般向自己袭来。不要说别人怎么看怎么说，我自己都感到快要在职场中坚持不下去了。随着时间一天天向年关推进，日积月累的外在及内心压力快要使自己透不过气来。面对职场上的残酷现实，自己心灰意懒万般无奈。在家里，丈夫虽然不说我什么，儿子也把自己关到房子静悄悄去做作业，我知道他爷俩，怕有一句不当的话会让我伤心。家人对我的爱，更让我感到惭愧和内心的一阵阵不安。
在单位，同事也对我开始冷淡远离。领导见了我虽然不批评，但在工作会议上多次重复强调、全年没有一份保单者，会在年末考核后按规定除名。我知道，那是领导在不点名的批评我，让我自感无地自容。同事对我远离的态度，让我如同一个人在孤独的荒岛上心灰意冷而无力自救。我想辞职去另外找份工作吧，考量再三没有敢迈出这一步。除适合自身条件的工作难找外，一条重要的原因是自己到这个单位工作虽然只有不多的几年，但业务技能已熟练，工作环境也才刚刚适应。如果跳个槽，换个单位没有个两三年是不行的。况且这个工作时间比较自由，不会影响自己周一、周三到教会去排练赞美诗歌，也不影响自己礼拜天登台献唱赞美神。
眼看快到年底了，再有一个多月就要过元旦了。如果再没有签约的合同业绩，不必多说自己得离开已工作多年的单位。到那时所面对的结果，我不敢去想。是啊，在那段职场低谷的日子里，我太难了。白天，吃饭不香味如嚼蜡；晚上，睡觉失眠干瞪两眼。煎熬的日子让我身体渐渐消廋，每天早晨起床会看到枕头上掉落着许多头发。
这样的日子真难熬啊！时间又过了几天，在仍然没有业绩的情况下，百般无奈的自己想到了要去依靠神。想到只有爱我们的天父，祂不会抛弃深陷困境的儿女。只有依靠神，才能使自己目前处境得以翻转。从那天起，每天早晨在丈夫、孩子还没睡醒时，自己早早起来轻手轻脚来到客厅，读上一段圣经里面出埃及的经文就开始祷告。求神怜悯我、帮助我，让我度过职场上这最艰难的2013年！
在那寂静的黎明，我读着圣经，会感到爱我们的天父在轻轻抚摸着我的头，慈爱的说，孩子不要怕，有我与你同在，一定会度过难关。祷告时，我会感到圣灵的鸽子落在我的肩上，浑身力量倍增，再去上班有了干劲。当我每天迎着旭日出门到单位后，精神抖擞的奔波辛苦整整一天。虽然还没有签到单子，但我不再低沉、心里充满了喜乐的阳光。在临近年关的那段时间里，我继续坚持上门或打电话联系客户，我坚信有主与我同在，靠主我一定会走出这艰难的职场旷野。
奇妙的事情再次发生了，神终于聆听到了我的祈祷和呼求。在临近年关只有不到20天的一天，我突然接到了一个电话，是一个老客户的电话。在电话里说他找我，想为孩子签一份保单。我喜出望外赶紧去到他家，顺利的签回了全年唯一的一份保单。当那天到公司办完了保单入帐手续，我不知道自己是怎么回到家的。见了丈夫和儿子，就抱着他爷俩大哭了一场。主啊，是你在我职场上最困难的时候帮助了我。主啊，是你伸出布满钉痕的双手，保住了我这一份来之不易的工作饭碗。当我告诉他爷俩这其中的奥妙，我们一家又喜乐起来。感谢神，一切荣耀归于耶稣基督！
五、靠主得胜，让我与为敌多年的同事和好。
由于自己脾气直，有时在单位里，也有一些看不惯的人和事，忍不住就想发脾气。但也遭遇过对方的恶毒攻击和诽谤，受到委屈时曾经和她们对质对抗。但这样下来的结果是适得其反，关系越来越僵。特别是有一位比我年龄大的同事，对我特别忌恨，这使我很纠结。在这种情况下，求问神的教导，我该如何面对这些问题。当我把目光转向神，神对我说祂是伸冤者。你的一切苦楚他都知晓。要爱你的仇敌，相互接纳。常存忍耐宽容的心，不可以恶胜善。常存温柔、爱人如己。我跪下祷告时，我的心胸再次被打开了，心里也平静、平安了。
在现实职场中，虽然我改变不了别人，但我能先改变自己。因为每个人都会有缺点，都是不完全的人。神给了我许多功课，让我在经历中生命不断长大。藉着环境和相处的人造就我，是为了让我更加成熟和老练。虽然工作压力大，也很辛苦，但我知道工作是神赐给的，神赐给祂每个儿女手中各样的工作。不管有多大的困难，有神帮助谁能阻挡呢？！
在神的教导下，我不再去要求别人改变她们自己。而是按圣经里的教导首先改变我自己，遇事后强迫自己先冷静下来，对照圣经里的话语检查自己有什么做的不对的地方。然后再根据情况，对症下药耐心的探索解决问题的方法。比如说，对那位年龄大点的同事，不再与她斤斤计较。遇事让着她点，即便是她的错也不当面说穿她。而是在后来适合的情况下，采取谈心交通的方式让她明白做的不妥。就这样，我和她的关系融洽了，我们也成了工作上的好搭档。
在采访结束时，王姊妹感慨的对笔者说：“特别感谢神！是神让我在这份职场工作中，学习到了在其它行业学不到的知识。也是神，在我最困难的时候帮助了我。”神说：我所祷告的，就是要你们的爱心在知识和各样见识上多而又多（腓1：9）。神祝福我们的工作，我们也要成为别人的祝福，成为别人的喜乐，成为耶稣基督的反光镜，照亮身边的人。千言万语汇一句：在职场沉浮中，只有靠主才能得胜。将我们的工作成果，都归给天上的父。成为美好的见证，荣神益人。阿们！
采访结束了，刚好有人敲门进来说，该王姊妹去指挥大家练唱赞美诗歌了。道别后，笔者朝教堂外走去。听到身后传来了优美的赞美歌声，旋律叮叮当当很美，歌声嘹亮鼓舞人心。教堂外，天高云淡，阳光灿烂。那一首首赞美诗歌，飘出教堂一扇扇朝外打开的窗户，由近渐远传向这美丽的周边世界……（全文完）
（本文作者为福音时报西北地区特约撰稿人。）
职场沉浮，靠主得胜！——记王惠林姊妹奋战职场的二、三事（下篇）
Wang Huilin, who became a Christian in 2002 after suffering from depression, gained victory through the Lord in the difficult workplace.
In part I, she recalled how God helped her recover from depression and gained a firm foothold in the workplace. In this part, we will see how she broke through a bottleneck in the following challenging days.
IV. The difficult year of 2013
The hardest days in her work were in 2013. Wang found it unbearable to recall those days now. Think about it. If you had poor performance near the end of the year, what would it feel like? At that time, her 18-year-old son was preparing for the college entrance examination, but she only got paid a little bit every month Besides, the company had regulations that employees with poor performance as a result of not signing a single contract for the whole year would be automatically removed in the following year.
In 2013, she kept working on time every morning, attending various meetings and then going to find customers. Each time, she had the hope of signing the policy contracts, but just ended up dragging her tired body home. Such unproductive days made her suffer, and her work enthusiasm was fading away.
The New Year was approaching. When she thought of the upcoming removal after the festival, she felt like there was a mountain on her mind pressing against her day by day. The fear of unemployment was lingering on her heart. Even though no one said anything about it, she felt that she couldn’t persist. As time went on, the accumulated external and internal pressure made her breathless. In the face of the cruel reality, she felt frustrated and helpless. At home, her husband never complained about her and her son locked himself in the room, doing his homework quietly, but the two were afraid that an inappropriate word would make her sad. The love for her made her feel ashamed and uneasy.
At work, her colleagues began to be aloof from her. Although the leader didn't criticize her, he repeatedly stressed at the working meeting that those who don't have an insurance policy contract all year round would be removed after the year-end assessment. She knew it was criticism without naming her name, which made her feel ashamed. Her colleagues' being aloof from her made her feel disheartened as if she was on a lonely desert island. She intended to quit the job and find another one, but she didn't dare to make the move because she had difficulty in finding jobs suitable for her conditions. More importantly, she had been skilled in business skills and adapted to her working environment after a few years of work. If she found another job, she would take another two or three years to adapt to it. Besides, the work was flexible in hours, so she could go to church to rehearse hymns on Mondays and Wednesdays and get on stage to sing and praise God on Sundays.
The new year was approaching, with just over a month ahead. If she still had not signed a contract, she would have to leave. Wang didn’t dare to think about how she would handle it. She found it hard to eat well in the day and could not sleep well at night. Those suffering days made her waste away. Every morning when she woke up, she could find many hairs falling out onto the pillow.
These were tough days! Without any progress, she thought of relying on God in every possible way. Only the heavenly Father would not abandon his children who are in deep trouble. Only with God could her present situation be reversed. From that day on, she got up early every morning and came to the living room softly when her husband and children were still sleeping. After reading a Bible passage about Exodus, she began to pray. She asked God to have mercy on her, help her, and let her get through the most difficult year of 2013!
At that silent dawn, when she read the Bible, she would feel the loving Father stroking her head gently, and saying lovingly, "Don't be afraid, my child. As I am with you, you will definitely get through the difficulties." When she prayed, she felt the dove of the Holy Spirit fall on her shoulder, and her strength was multiplied to go to work again. When she went out to work against the rising sun every day, she worked hard all day with high spirits. Although she still did not sign a contract, she was no longer depressed but was full of joyful sunshine. In the period near the year-end, she kept knocking on strangers' doors or calling customers. Firmly believing that the Lord was there with her, and she would definitely get out of this difficulty by his virtue.
Wonderful things happened again. God finally heard her prayer. On one day less than 20 days before the year-end, she suddenly received a phone call from an old customer. The customer told her that he wanted to sign an insurance policy for his child. She was overjoyed and hurried to his home, and successfully signed the only insurance policy for the whole year. When Wang saw her husband and son, she held them and cried.
"Lord, you helped me in the most difficult time in my career. Lord, you held out your hands full of nail marks and saved my hard-won job", she murmured in her mind.
V. The Lord reconciled herself with her enemy colleagues.
With her short temper, sometimes she couldn’t help but lose her temper in the company about those things she did not like. But she also suffered vicious attacks and slander. She confronted colleagues when she was wronged. But the result was even worse. An elder colleague was particularly jealous of her, which made her uncomfortable. In this case, she asked God's instruction. When she turned to God, He told her that He is the avenger who knows all her sufferings. God told her to love her enemies and accept each other, always be patient and tolerant, and never let evil prevail over good, always be gentle and love herself. When she knelt down to pray, her heart was opened again and became calm and peaceful.
In the real workplace, although she could change others, she could change herself first. God had given her many lessons so that she could grow in certain areas of her life. Although the work was stressful and hard, she knew that work is given by God, and God gives all kinds of work to his children.
With God's instruction, she stopped asking others to change themselves. Instead, she first changed herself according to biblical teaching and forced herself to calm down after something happened, and checked what she did wrong against the Bible's words. Then according to the situation, she would patiently explore ways to solve the problem. For example, she stopped haggling over trivial matters with the elder colleague, gave precedence to her, and never criticized her to her face if it was her fault. She would talk to her in private in later, more suitable circumstances and let her know what was wrong. In this way, they got along with each other, and they became good partners at work.
At the end of the interview, Wang said, "I sincerely thank God! It is God who made me learn something unique in the work. It is also God who helped me in my most difficult time. God says, 'And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;' (Phil. 1: 9). God bless our work, and we should also be the blessings of others, the joy of others, and the mirror of Jesus Christ to illuminate the people around us. In one word, only by relying on the Lord can we win in the ups and downs of the workplace. Give all the fruits of our work to the heavenly father, and become a beautiful witness, honor God, and benefit people. Amen!"
When the interview was over, someone knocked at the door, saying that it was time for Wang to direct practicing hymns. Then a beautiful singing voice came out with the beautifully jingling melody and the loud and inspiring singing.
(The writer of this article is a special contributor to Gospel Times in Northwest China.)
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
'Lord Helped Me in the Most Difficult Time': Laywoman Wang Huilin’s Testimony (Part II)
