By Dianna Hobbs // Spiritual Wisdom // EEW Magazine Online

Years ago, when I was working at a local mall, a lady who was a lot younger than me judged me and criticized me. At the time, I was young in my marriage and had small children. My husband Kenya and I were having financial difficulties, and I had picked up a job in retail to help make ends meet. We needed some extra cash—and fast!

I remember how the red-haired recent college graduate, my supervisor at the time, mocked me mercilessly. She told me that if she were married with kids and working a job in retail like me, she would be so ashamed.

Ouch, right?

She said some other not so nice things to me, and honestly, I felt my spirit withering with every mean-spirited word dart she threw.

Her piercing commentary came after word got out that I was the top-selling sales rep in the department and was being considered for a raise. I couldn’t understand her attitude at the time, but looking back on it, I believe she attacked me because she felt threatened by the success I was having. Back then, however, I was just thinking, she’s above me in rank and pay, so why is she so bothered about little old me?

Heck, I was just trying to do my job well and help take care of my family. I didn’t want any smoke with that lady!

After this happened, once I got back home from work, I talked to hubby about the negative experience and how bad it made me feel. After I was through venting, though, I prayed about the situation and let it go. I was not about to let a woman who truly didn’t know anything about me, or my divine destiny, control my emotions and feelings about myself and my situation.

What this young lady didn’t know at the time was that I wasn’t in competition. I didn’t care one iota about out-selling everybody. I just wanted to do a good job so I could keep my job and take a paycheck home. That was it.

I hadn’t factored in the favor of God and Him doing something unexpectedly good in my life. I was also unprepared for how divine blessings could create a hostile environment full of envy and strife.

I learned something valuable from that experience that I think is worth sharing with my EEW Magazine Online readers. Listen, someone can be above you in rank, power, and wealth, but be intimidated by your potential.

For example, look at what happened in Exodus 1:8-14. When a new king came into power, he noticed the Israelites, a group of Hebrews, whose population was growing rapidly. They were God’s chosen people, and the Lord was multiplying and increasing them. When the king saw their growth, Scripture says he worried that they would become a great nation and one day link up with Egypt’s enemies to fight against them and ultimately flee the country.

So, instead of making the Israelites allies, the king made them slaves. He treated them badly and beat them down mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. This was the king’s way of maintaining power over them and stopping their potential.

Here’s the point: some people will keep their foot on your neck and treat you poorly, because they are scared that you will surpass them. They don’t want you to grow and possibly become competition. As a result, despite having advantages over you, they become obsessed with the possibility of you excelling and moving beyond them. Therefore, they do everything in their power to shut you down—even if that means bruising your self-esteem so you don’t know your worth.

I know it may surprise you when someone you regard in high esteem and maybe even see as a mentor mistreats you and is jealous of you. If that has happened to you before, you probably felt unprepared for their response, right?

I get it. At the same time, you must know, this is what happens when you’re chosen and favored of God. Whatever position He places you in, you will shine and thrive. You will grow. You will adapt and excel. You will achieve. You will get noticed. And insecure people will be threatened by you. It’s inevitable.

Expect that, but also be aware that they can’t stop your blessings, just like Pharaoh could not stop God from delivering the Israelites out of Egypt. Sadly, the king and his entire army with him drowned in the Red Sea trying to get in the way of the Israelites’ divinely ordained departure (Exodus 15:4).

Friend, what God has for you, no one can shut it down or take it away. You don’t need everybody to like you or celebrate you or assist you. Don’t worry about the naysayers, critics, or the ones who fight against you.

If God be for you, who can be against you?

Look, understand that favor puts a target on your back. At the same time, Psalm 5:12 tells us that favor is a shield that keeps those darts from penetrating. Not only will the enemy’s attack not work, but also, if you stay focused, you will win. God will launch you to greater and higher levels of success for the glory of His name.

Be encouraged and keep being about your work and your Father’s business.

Dianna Hobbs is founder of EEW Magazine Online and CEO of Empowering Everyday Women Ministries — a 501c3 nonprofit organization that shares the gospel and provides humanitarian aid to the hurting. She is also the writer of Your Daily Cup of Inspiration and executive producer of the companion podcast. Follow Dianna on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube. Sign up for her free ministry newsletter here.