I served as a waiter in a restaurant for about four-and-a-half years. I was tired and frustrated when I was working there, especially, when I had a college degree in Biology. I applied for other jobs but to no avail. I certainly wasn’t trying to get other jobs in the restaurant business. I had taken some classes in the information technology field, and I was looking for something … anything in that field. 

It was even more embarrassing that my parents sent me from Nigeria to school in the US, and all I could show for my college education after “nine years” in the States was a waiter’s job, and the tips were taking serious dips. Fortunately, I landed a part-time job as a customer service associate at a reputable company. Though working for that reputable company did not mean reputable money, at least to me, although I was grateful for it. 

I worked hard for the company. I did a good job for them. However, my shortcoming was that I came to work late occasionally. I was tardy. Their policy in layman’s terms was three strikes and you’re out! I struck out on seven. I worked there for close to four months. They were nice enough to allow me to stay after exhausting my three chances. My supervisor had given me a pep-talk about my tardiness, and I uttered not a word because he was right. 

The reason why I occasionally came to work late was because I often disobeyed the alarm clock … hmmm. I often slept overtime—which often led to way overtime. A little sleep, a little slumber and your poverty will come like an armed man, the Bible says (Proverbs 6:10-11). 

Evidently sleeping a little extra after I hit the “snooze” button and most times just stopped the alarm, wasn’t a good idea. Incidentally, poverty through layoff came like an armed man and robbed me of my employment. 

I came to work one morning, strolled into the warehouse-like call center, and told the lady behind the desk, in the call center that I was late—again. I then went to a computer station to sign on. A few minutes later, I was signing off after my supervisor came and gave me the “red light” … verbally. I didn’t argue; it was my tardiness that got me fired.

I guess I should have had some form of consolation that I still had the restaurant job. Unfortunately, I had handed my resignation letter to the restaurant about a week before I was laid off from the reputable company. 

Please don’t try this at home. I gave my resignation to the restaurant because I believed I was exercising my faith that God would get me another job. I was waiting for Him to get me another job while I was holding the restaurant job. However, it seemed to me that God was waiting on me to make a move by putting myself in a position that proves that I was really depending on Him. Please don’t get me wrong. I didn’t just sit home waiting for a job to fall in my lap those four-plus years I worked at the restaurant. I went looking for other jobs but to no avail. 

Nonetheless, I wouldn’t say I was completely in faith, since I did have a part time job at the reputable company. In the back of my mind, I considered that if I didn’t find a job after I left the restaurant, at least I still had the Customer Service gig. And if that was all I was left with, I would strive to work full-time. But it turned out that God assisted my faith by allowing me to get fired. Obviously, I aided my job loss through my tardiness, and I had about a week left in the restaurant after I was fired from the customer service job before I was completely out of work. 

Even so, I didn’t fret. God was still with me. It was a very uncomfortable situation but I had to trust that God would work things out. A few days later, I called a temp agency that I reluctantly registered with, thanks to the insistence of my sister. For months, claims by friends and well-wishers that the agency had job openings did not materialize. 

Six months after I registered with the agency, I called to update my new address information because I had moved. I also inquired if they had any job prospects for me. Well, what do you know? They did. The position was with a Fortune 500 company, in their information technology department, paying thirteen dollars per hour. Wow! 

Less than a week after I was fired, and before I was to bid good riddance to my restaurant job, I was given another opportunity to redeem myself. I was grateful to God. My faith in Him was reinforced. I was rejected to be promoted. I was fired from a less reputable company to be hired by a more reputable one. Being fired forced me to try the agency again, and it paid off! 

Similarly, being rejected causes you to re-evaluate your situation and make the necessary adjustments to improve your predicament. At least, that is the way you’re supposed to respond to any setback you face. Even if you did not contribute to your demotion like I did, it’s still in your best interest not to cry over spilled milk. Clean the spill and get another glass!

1. O. J. Toks, Rejected for a Purpose (Paoli, PA: Elevator Group Faith, 2010), 208-211.