Your Words have Power

Back in 2011 after graduating from University I needed to get a job. One of my friends told me about a food manufacturing company that he heard paid well. He told me that I should apply for a job there and my response was that my degree was not food related, and so I was not qualified to work there. He kept saying that I should try and I kept saying I wasn’t qualified. I struggled for a while to find a job but then I got a part-time job on campus. The pay wasn’t good, but I was able to pay my bills and survive. During this time, I decided to go back to school and I started a new program.

During this program, I went on a field trip to the same food manufacturing company my friend had told me about three years earlier. After the tour, I really fell in love with the place. It was clean, well-organized and the staff seemed very friendly. I confidently told my classmates that this was where I was going to work when I finished my program. I was only in my first year so I’m sure that they were probably thinking I was a bit crazy. However, convinced that this was going to be so, every time I passed the factory I would say to myself, “Look at my future workplace”.

Have faith

Over the next year and a half, this belief strengthened. I made this declaration multiple times, and also shared it with others. After visiting my company, I had started doing some research on it. I needed to know more about where I was going to work. I learned it was one of five food manufacturing companies operated by a prominent Jamaican company. It was said to be very difficult to get into as vacancies were usually filled by persons who were already working within the group. The likelihood of getting hired as an outsider with no experience in the food industry was slim. This news didn’t deter me and I still held firmly to my belief. I would be the exception to the rule.

As I neared the end of my program, I decided that it was time to get a new job. I needed to start doing more than just surviving. I left my job, not knowing what my next move was. All I had was my faith that God was going to work it out. And that He did. During my program I had met a friend that happened to work at one of the other companies in the group. Knowing I was unemployed, she sent me a job opening at her company. I remember saying, “Yes God. You are working things out for me. This is my opening. If I got a job here, I could use it as a stepping stone into my company.” I submitted my documents and waited. I was later invited to an interview.

Set back or set up?

I went to the interview and because my dream was riding on it, I gave it 100%. The interview went well, and I was called back for a second interview. The second interview also went well and I just needed to wait for the final decision to be made. I was feeling very confident. Two weeks later my phone rang and the HR Manager told me that I did well and that they were very impressed with me. She also said that unfortunately, I did not get the job. I felt like I was blindsided. This was not what I had expected to hear. This job was supposed to be my way into my company. She said she would definitely keep me in mind if anything opened up in the group. I thanked her and then I went to the bathroom and cried.

God is in control

Momentarily shaken, I reminded myself that one door had closed but God would open another. That was where I was going to work. I had declared it, I believed it and it shall be so. Less than a week after that rejection, I got another call from the HR manager . When I heard it was her I thought to myself that maybe the person they had offered the job had fallen through so they were calling to offer me the job. What happened next was totally unexpected. She said to me that there was a similar position to the one I was rejected for in my company that needed to be filled, and she asked if I was interested. My knees suddenly felt weak. If I was interested? This was a dream come true for me. We scheduled my interview and I knew in my heart that this was it.

When I got off the phone, I screamed, started thanking God and telling Him how good he was. I also cried again because here God was, opening up a direct route for me. I went to my interview, did well, and I was offered the job. Of course, I said yes. I didn’t even know how much the job paid. All I remember is feeling thankful and saying to God, I want this amount as my salary. At the time I laughed because I thought I was being ambitious as I had no experience. When I got my contract, it had the exact figure, not a dollar more, not a dollar less. I often laughed and said had I known, I would have asked God for more. The rest as they say, is history. This whole experience taught me a lot.

Lessons learned

1. Never disqualify yourself .

The same degree I initially thought was not good enough was actually what was required by the role I filled.

2. Sometimes things fall apart before they come together

I thought being rejected from the job at my friend’s company was a bad thing. I later realized it was a part of God’s plan. What that opportunity did was to put me before the right people to get to where I needed to be.

3. God will open doors of favour

The question I was most frequently asked by my colleagues when I just started was “Which company in the group are you coming from?” When I said none, they would follow up with, “Ok. Which company are you coming from?” When I said I was coming from UWI, their expression always seemed to say “Really?”, even though their mouths said “OK.” This wasn’t typical. God’s favour allowed me to skip the normal route and go directly to my company.

4. Believe, even when you can’t see it

After the rejection, I had to encourage myself. When what you see causes you to doubt what you can’t see, remind yourself that God is not only able to work things out one way. He can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). I never stopped believing that this was where I was going to work.

5. Use your words wisely

Our words have power. Job 22:28 says “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee.” I have proven this. What started as a declaration, became my reality. Use your words to speak positively into your life. See things as if they already are. Our words are so powerful that when the prophet Zachariah was speaking doubtfully about the blessing that God had for him, his mouth was shut so that he couldn’t speak until the blessing came to pass (Luke 1:18-25). If you are going to speak negatively, it is better not to speak.

Are there some things you want to see happening in your life? Your words have power. Start speaking your declarations, believe it shall be so, and watch God work.