A promotion that asked for compromise

Hebrews 10:25
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

Today I am focusing on the work life and how sometimes our circumstances(or in my case... a promotion) can lead to compromise. I pray this post encourages you to draw close to Christ and to be aware of the times of testing. This post has to do with a promotion that wanted me to compromise in the area of my faithfulness to God's House.


Back in 2014 I was praying and seeking God's face for direction with my job and if I should pursue the Supervisor role at Starbucks. Unfortunately, I took forever to pursue it and to even seek God's will on the subject. Instead of trusting God to equip me for the position and bring honor and glory to Him.....I didn't believe that I wanted such a position(laziness) and I also don't like to do anything that I fear I will fail at(pride). Through the course of that year I had motivation, I was okay with knowing that its okay to not know everything, and I had an increased faith in God to pursue such a promotion knowing HE is the one who will enable me. I mustered up the courage to let my manager know(again) that I was truly interested in moving up although my insides were saying "its just not meant to be". I knew he was chewing on that decision and within a few days or so he started me on what is called, "A Development Plan". Most of the time when you get started on this development plan it takes a while to get promoted. Well, not in my case..... I came in for work MAYBE a week later and my manager told me that a store had lost a number of partners including shift supervisors. I instantly felt so nervous and sick. I had almost wished I had not said anything. You see, I was hoping that I would be promoted within my own store and just have smooth sailing since I had a great relationship with all of my coworkers. This was my biggest fear..... to be promoted at a new store. My manager set up a time for my interview with the store manager who was in need of partners. Here I am, going in for an interview, hardly feeling like I even touched my development plan, and possibly transferring to a new store.

The interview went very well. I enjoyed the small talk. The discussion on my development plan and him understanding that I am more than willing to continue to grow on this plan, but the question came. One that I was aware might come up, but didn't know that my position depended on it. He asked if I was available on Sunday's. I confidently told him that I was not, but that I was available anytime of the week aside from Sundays and Wednesday nights(Our mid-week service). He politely told me that due to everyone else's availability that he desperately needed someone who can work Sunday's. There was nothing I could say, but I knew in my heart prior to this interview, in fact, prior to any of my jobs that church must be a priority since I had decided Jesus Christ to be the center of my life. Let me just add that in my mind I was thinking about compromising in the area of maybe being willing to open the store so that I could be off in time for church, but I still would have been compromising. It would have stolen my attentiveness in the service, I could have been stuck working later due to someone calling out, and there's just no end to the devils schemes when you give in just a little. I didn't budge thanks to prayer, God's grace, and the confidence HE gives.

 I am thankful to this day that the manager was very kind, and tried to understand the importance of my walk with Christ and my dedication to God's House.

I left the interview thinking that it was not going to happen. I went back to my store after the interview to tell my coworkers how the interview went and that I might not get the position due to my availability. One of my coworkers(a former manager) told me that she had a supervisor that compromised in this exact area and said that it worked out for him. She went on to say that I could compromise and then change my availability down the road. Once again, I knew that I could not do that because I knew that would leave me at open fire to the devil with getting me out of God's House. There are so many times when we all have good intentions, but good intentions are not enough. You need God's Word at the center.
God's Word clearly states that there is a way that seems right to us. Don't make decisions on good intentions. Good intentions can lead right down this same path in Proverbs 14:12.

Proverbs 14:12
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.''

 God's Word also states that we are not to "forsake the assembly".

Hebrews 10:25
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

 In other words, we are not to forsake God's House, the Body of Christ, the Church. Good intentions can lead down a road of destruction.

I can tell you that I had full faith in believing that God's will was going to happen whatever the direction would be. Whether that was remaining and growing as a barista and not a supervisor. In fact, I was secretly hoping that nothing would come of it due to me and my insecurities.

I can not remember when I found out, but it wasn't too long after that I received the news..... I was being promoted to that store with my availability being honored! I was nervous, but God had heard my prayers and gave me a desire to work at this new store of mine. Excited and nervous, I developed as a shift supervisor. God enabled me for the job and He also blessed me with an amazing team to work with and to train under. I had a supervisor step down to a barista and worked during closing shifts as I did. Which means I always had support from a former supervisor when I had any questions! God will equip you for whatever He puts in front of you to do! Don't get me wrong, there was plenty of hard times that made me cry, but God used them to grow me into a stronger shift supervisor and Christian. I've seen coworkers receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, I've seen coworkers come to my church, and I have established life long friends who I love very much.

I don't know what circumstances, ministries, jobs, tests, or temptations that will come your way in life, but always seek God's will and trust that HE will equip you for what He leads you to do,

and don't compromise.


To God be the Glory,

Mackenzie Knouf

Philippians 3:10
"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death"