October 5
When Promotion
Doesn’t Come
"No one from the east or the west or the desert can honor themselves. God is the one who judges. He puts one person down and lifts up another."
Psalm 75:6-7 (NIrV)
Troy had worked at the warehouse for years. He knew every inch of the place—every shipment route, every safety protocol, every trick to keeping things running smoothly. When a supervisor position opened up, he knew it had his name written all over it.
He had the experience. The qualifications. He had put in the time.
But when the decision was made, it wasn’t Troy who got the promotion. It was Zach. A younger guy, only a few years into the job, with nowhere near Troy’s experience. Troy was stunned. Then furious. Then numb.
At first, he tried to brush it off, telling himself it didn’t matter. But every time he saw Zach giving him orders his stomach twisted. He started working slower. The effort he used to put into his job faded. What was the point of trying if he wasn’t valued?
The worst part was that Zach wasn’t even a bad guy. He was respectful, even tried to ask for Troy’s advice. But Troy barely responded, giving short, cold answers. If the company wanted him in charge, then let him figure it out.
One evening, sitting alone in his car after another frustrating day, Troy banged both hands on the steering wheel. “God, why?” he muttered. “I did everything right. I deserved this.”
As the silence settled around him, an old verse came to mind. God is the one who lifts up and puts down.
Troy closed his eyes. Could he accept that? Could he trust that, even in this, God was in control?
He sighed. Maybe this wasn’t a rejection. Maybe it was a redirection. A reminder that his worth wasn’t in a job title. That God was still working, even when things didn’t go his way.
The next morning, Troy walked into work with a different mindset. He still didn’t have the title, but he had a choice—to keep holding onto bitterness or to let it go. He saw Zach struggling with a schedule conflict and, for the first time, genuinely offered to help.
Zach’s face lit up with relief. “Thanks, man. I really appreciate it.”
As Troy walked away, something in his heart shifted. He still didn’t understand why things had happened the way they did. But for the first time, he wasn’t letting it steal his peace.
God was in control. And that was enough.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
I struggle when things don’t go my way, when I feel overlooked or unappreciated.
But Your Word reminds me that You are in control.
Help me to trust You, even when I don’t understand.
Help me to let go of bitterness and walk in humility, knowing that my worth is not in titles or recognition, but in being Your child.
Teach me to be faithful wherever You place me, and to trust that You are leading me in the right direction.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
