You worked in the same office for ten years.
She was, in many ways, familiar terrain—an immigrant like you, shaped by Catholic schools and a belief that work should be done well, even when no one is watching. You came to admire the brilliance of her mind, her steadiness, and the quiet dignity with which she carried responsibility. Over time, the boundaries that usually separate colleagues quietly dissolved. There were lunches shared, conversations about family and faith, encouragement offered for dreams that stretched beyond office walls.
When she applied for a leadership position in the organization, you wished her well. Her qualifications were undeniable. She had vision, experience, and a proven ability to move the organization toward new possibilities. Yet when the decision came, another candidate was chosen.
She accepted the news with grace, but you sensed the quiet fracture beneath the composure. You understood it. Sometimes disappointment is less about a title, but about the slow ache of faithful work taken for granted.
Then she made a decision that surprised many: she chose to leave.
When you asked why, she paused before answering. Maybe pride, she said. Or perhaps the realization that she was not seen for her worth. Either way, she felt it was time for change and believed there might be a better place for her.
What struck you most was not her disappointment, but her peace.
Though leaving the organization was not without challenges, she spoke of God’s providence with quiet certainty. God would take care of her, she said. If one door had closed, He would open another for her. You knew that she did not attend church as faithfully as you did, but her trust seemed unwavering.
You thought of Proverbs 16:9, “The mind of a person plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Perhaps this is what you saw in her departure – a door closing is not a rejection, but a redirection; a turning away from what was familiar toward something still unseen, but already being prepared for her by God.
As she stepped into the uncertainty of a new chapter, you realized that faith is often this: trusting that the God who closes one door will also guide us to the next.