When your character is tested, Grow Anyway

When your character is tested, Grow Anyway

One thing about uncertainty, it never asks for permission before showing up. It doesn’t wait for the “perfect” time or check if you feel ready. Lately, I’ve been finding myself right in the middle of it: in difficult staffing situations, miscommunications, moments of feeling overlooked or even spoken down to.

It’s been… humbling. Frustrating. Stretching.

Truthfully, I’m still walking through it. There are days when it feels like my character is being tested in ways I didn’t see coming. Days when it feels easier to harden my heart or fight fire with fire. In the quiet moments, I’ve had to stop and ask God, plead with Him to help me. Help me stay kind. Help me stay empathetic. Help me trust that His love and my integrity will carry me, even when the situation doesn’t seem to change.

It wasn’t easy. I had to ask God to steady me. To remind me that my worth isn’t found in how others treat me, but in who He says I am. I prayed for kindness when my flesh wanted retaliation. I prayed for empathy when all I felt was the hurt of being misunderstood. I prayed for wisdom to know when to speak and when to be still.

I wish I could say I’ve figured it all out, but the reality is I’m learning as I go. Here’s what’s been helping me hold on, even in the middle of the mess:

1. Anchoring Myself in God’s Character

When things feel unstable, it’s easy to lose sight of who I am. I’m learning to steady myself by remembering who God is. Faithful, just, and ever-present. He sees the work no one else notices. He knows the intention behind every action. I don’t have to prove my worth to people because He already calls me worthy. When I anchored myself in that truth, I was less tempted to prove myself and more committed to simply being who He called me to be

2. Redefining Strength as Kindness

Some days kindness feels like the last thing I want to offer, BUT I’m realizing that kindness isn’t weakness, it's strength under pressure. It’s the decision to not let someone else’s actions drag me out of character. Being kind doesn’t mean being passive; it means choosing to lead myself well, even when emotions run high. It’s strength under control…meekness, not weakness.

3. Choosing Empathy Over Ego

When tensions rise, our ego often shouts the loudest: “Defend yourself! Clap back! Prove them wrong!” But empathy invites us to see beyond the offense. To remember that hurt people often hurt others. That doesn’t make their behavior right, but it helps me not internalize it. It helps me hold compassion where I might otherwise hold grudges.

4. Trusting the Process, Even When I Don’t See the End

I’ll be honest, this is the hardest part. I don’t know how or when things will shift, but I’m learning to believe that God doesn’t waste anything, even this. The uncomfortable truth? Some seasons are just meant to refine us. God doesn’t waste our pain or confusion. He uses it to prune us, to grow us, and to prepare us for what’s next. I had to trust that while I couldn’t see the other side, God was already there, working, shaping, and fighting for me behind the scenes.

5. Protecting My Peace

These days, protecting my peace looks like boundaries, prayer, and deep breaths. It looks like giving myself permission to step away, when needed, and not carrying what was never mine to carry. It’s having hard conversations, or even walking away when God gives you the release. It also looks like prioritizing your mental, emotional, and spiritual health above trying to win the approval of people who may never truly see you. Peace is something I’m fighting for and not by avoiding hard things, but by facing them with a heart that’s anchored in God.

I’m still in it. Still asking for grace daily. Still choosing to believe that even if I can’t see the full picture, God is working all things together for my good.

If you’re walking through something similar, if your workplace feels more like a battlefield than a mission field, just know you’re not alone. You don’t have to compromise your character to survive the chaos. Keep showing up. Keep choosing grace. Keep trusting that even this season is shaping you for something greater.

And one day, we’ll look back and realize: we didn’t just survive. We grew.

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