Psalm 107:28 (NKJV): Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.

Here in Connecticut, as the snow gradually melts and spring arrives, we enter mud season. Dry land turns into muck, dry meadows become shallow ponds, and dry streams become active brooks. Hiking during mud season can become a bit challenging. Sometimes when you reach a patch of mud, you can carefully walk on adjacent rocks to avoid stepping into the muck. Sometimes, you have to improvise and build a temporary bridge out of fallen branches. Sometimes trails become impassable, and you must creatively develop a workaround. Sometimes, the mud is hidden by fallen leaves, left over ice and snow. You don’t realize you’ve stepped onto mud until it’s too late, and your boots become encased in it!

There are times when you experience “mud season” at work. A flurry of challenges, problems and troubles of all kinds (people, technology, bureaucracies, weather, etc.) seem to hit all at once and radically disrupt your progress and throw your projected costs, budgets and delivery times into disarray.

Projects and production schedules can hit delay after delay, obstacle after obstacle to the point where you wonder if you’ll ever get out of the mess. It seems endless, like one big “Black Hole.” You’re discouraged, tired, perplexed, exasperated, frustrated and disappointed. Sometimes the workplace “mud” can get so deep that you consider throwing up your hands and quitting. “I’ve had it!” “This is it!” “I can’t take any more of this!” "I'm out of here!"

During those moments, don’t be shy about crying out to the Lord for divine guidance and help. In His time and in His way, He can and will bring you out of your distresses. Mud season doesn’t last indefinitely. This too shall pass. Your trust and dependence on God during mud season will be a testimony to those around you, and a source of great encouragement to you. As the years go by and you experience God’s deliverance mud season after mud season, your Christ-like confidence will grow. The mud seasons that used to freak you out and paralyze you won’t seem as intimidating as they used to be, and you’ll become a mature, wise example to others on how to effectively navigate through workplace mud season.   

Let’s think about and discuss these questions:

1. Which season are you in at work? Is everything going smoothly?

2. Have you ever experienced a “mud” season in your career? What was the most painful challenge, problem, or trouble for you at that time?

3. Today, looking back to that season, what do you think is your greatest gain and growth?