What Can't Be Seen

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

This assurance isn't the result of wishful or positive thinking.  

It's confidence in the God we can't see but whose existence is the truest realty in the universe. His reality is displayed in His creative works and made visible by revealing His invisible character and ways in His son, Jesus who came to show the Father's love to us.

This is the God in whom we live and move and have our being. As such, we live by faith, not by sight. Yet we don't walk alone. The unseen God walks with us every step of the way. 

Father, sometimes it's a struggle to believe what I can't see. Nevertheless, You've promised Your faithful love and that You'll never leave me or forsake me. Help me to rest in that promise. 

Frassem

When To Quit Your Job...

The biggest sign that is telling you to search for your next job is that you dread going to work. Your job has flat-lined. You feel your work is not respected, or it’s monotonous. It feels futile. It’s demotivating to do the same thing again and again.

Other red flags: You’re frustrated by a lack of resources and support from your boss or colleagues. Or perhaps it’s a lack of growth opportunities for both pay and skills advancement. Your work no longer has meaning to you. (Employees who get meaning and significance from their work are more than three times as likely not to change employers.)

You feel, well, powerless.

Getting sucked into a mindless routine deadens you inside and puts you in jeopardy of losing your job if your boss notices. When you lose pride in what you do, your health, your personal relationships, and your sense of self-worth begin to diminish. And then perhaps the day comes when you can barely get out the door to get to the office.

Put simply, you tune out. You don’t tap into the energy that can come from your job, or you simply can’t begin to see where the hope lingers below the surface.

The truth is that when I talk to workers who are unhappy in their jobs the underlying issue is that they are bored. They don't identify it as that, but that’s the issue.

Just saying “take this job and shove it” is probably not the best approach to battling your boredom or pent-up frustration. Even in a tight labor market, quitting is generally not a good option, unless you already have a new position lined up elsewhere If you can make it work where you are right now, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble.

You can renew your working life by getting involved with special projects, mentoring, meeting new people, asking for new responsibilities, and adding skills, training, and education.

Start by doing one small thing that matters. When you move in small, incremental ways, you will have a fighting chance of getting your changes approved and set in motion. Truth is, sometimes all it takes to right your ship is that one special tweak.

If you want to be happier, you have to do something, to take action.

“Speak now or forever hold your peace,” as my Dad always said. In other words, get that hand waving wildly in the air and make some noise.

But finding ways to love your work entails taking ownership of your life. No one is going to wave a magic wand for you. You may have to take a risk.

Make a change — even a small one. Challenge yourself to look for one area that would give you more joy at work and then make it happen.

Check out possibilities for more training at work or online that will add to your skills. Fill in areas where you don’t excel, and make you more valuable to your employer. Find ways to add value to your current job. When you acquire knowledge, you notice the world around you. Your mind turns on.

Raise your hand and ask for new duties. Keep your ear to the ground to get the scoop on positions opening up or emerging projects — even if they’re short-term. Say “yes” to new assignments. If you’re worried you’re not up to the task, accept the invitation gracefully and with confidence and then get moving to figure out how to do it. The adrenaline will charge you up and when you succeed, the rewards will be internal and external.

Get up to speed on your industry. It’s easy to get complacent about staying current with the trends in your specific field. Just being in the know can inspire you to think of projects and tasks you might be able to volunteer for or to get involved in starting. At the very least, you will be able to engage in knowledgeable discussions with your boss and co-workers about your firm and its current and future challenges.

 Do some sleuthing. Dissect your current position to pinpoint a new responsibility you can add that will refresh your focus, and maybe even scare you a little bit. Keep your ear to the ground and try to get the scoop on positions opening up, or a new project that’s on the cusp of starting—even if it is just a short-term one.

Explore finding joy around the edges. Is there an activity outside of the job, you can do with coworkers such as volunteering together or a company team sport? When I ask people what they love about their job, it is often the people they work with they tell me.

Look into telecommuting. When it comes to what makes people love their jobs, this is a biggie. Telecommuting employees are happier, more loyal and have fewer unscheduled absences, according to a survey by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. In my own research and interviews with hundreds of workers, I’ve discovered that more flexibility in scheduling day-to-day activities leads to greater happiness on the job.

Laugh more. A Gallup poll found that people who smile and laugh at work are more engaged in their jobs. And the more engaged you are, the happier and more enthusiastic you’ll be.

That said, if you’re one breath away from quitting your job because you hate your immediate boss, drastic action might be required. (You probably won’t be surprised to learn that the main reason people quit is an unbearable boss.) At the very least, you need to pause, review, and try to get some clarity.

What would really make you love your job?

·     Begin a notebook or computer file for “My Future Job.”

·     Write down your career and personal goals and other information prompted in this chapter.

·     List dream jobs you would love to have.

·     Make a list of people you know who love their jobs.

·     Ask those people what they love about their work. It can inspire you.

·     Write down the times in your life when you loved your job, and why.

·     Ask people you know who have had setbacks at work how they navigated rough patches to create a job they love.

·     Look into opportunities for career coaching.

If you really are miserable, quit. But make a plan before you exit. Define what will make your own career path successful for you. We all have our own markers for what will propel us forward. It might be a more flexible work arrangement, a sweet salary bump, or a challenging new assignment.

The core message is that you can turn it around and rebound from your malaise, or a grim work environment. You have to own it. You consciously choose whether to continue being unhappy or pick an alternate path and work toward it, even if it’s in baby steps. Simply starting on a solution lifts your spirits.

Finding ways to love your job takes time, I know. Be patient. You never want to be rash and impulsive when you’re rethinking your job.

You may have to wait for the right opportunity to arise, but you can start laying the groundwork and preparation right now. At worst, during this initial building process, while you stick it out and still hate your job, you will learn how to work under tough conditions—a good skill to have in your quiver under any circumstances.

I would be remiss if I didn’t add this caveat: Do make your job one you relish, but don't become trapped by it. As the oft-repeated saying goes, “No one ever wished they had worked more at the end of their life.”

A life well lived is all about balance. Laugh and spend time with family and friends, travel, dance alone in your living room to Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” when no one is watching. Look around you each day and find beauty—the bright yellow goldenrod in the field, the silent blue heron standing stalk-still on the shoreline, the floating cloud formation that looks like it was painted by an artist up there in the blue sky, the smile on a co-worker’s face when she gets a thumb’s up on her work project.

I frequently remind myself of the traditional Navajo prayer, “May you walk in beauty.”

Bonnert

For workers who want a promotion, don’t lead with a demand or even a request. Lead with this instead...

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you seek opportunities to be seen as a source of innovation:

Your ‘day job’ still needs to get done. New ideas aren’t received quite as positively from someone who isn’t doing their “normal” job responsibilities. Managers don’t appreciate the employee who has lots of new ideas but can’t execute their current role. Don’t be that employee. Make sure your performance is up to par, and take notes about anything you see that you think could be done differently or better. When you feel you have the respect of your manager and you’ve met expectations for your performance, then it’s time to share.

Ideas don’t need to be fully formed. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and great ideas aren’t formed overnight — they take time, insight from multiple parties and the right person/people to execute them. If you see an opportunity to do something differently or better, think through the possible obstacles or objections to doing it that way before you approach your boss. But don’t feel like you need to have the idea fully baked to discuss with a superior.

New ideas boil down to two things. Typically, leadership has a few main goals for the year. Two almost always revolve around saving money or driving revenue. Keep that in mind when you bring new ideas to the table. Ask yourself, “How would this drive revenue?” or “How will this cut costs?” If you can’t answer one of those two questions, it may not be a great idea … yet. Oftentimes, it just takes a moment to reframe the idea with the end goal in mind to come up with something even more impactful.

Realize not all leaders want to innovate. Some managers are old school. They like the way things have always been done and are reluctant to change. You know if you report to someone like this, and if you do, you will need to find another avenue to vocalize ideas to someone who is more receptive. It’s not about going behind your manager’s back — it’s about finding another advocate at the company who will value your perspective and ideas. Oftentimes, it ends up making your current supervisor look good because someone on their team brought new ideas to the table that drove revenue or resulted in cost savings.

So find the ear of someone who is open. And if you find that your organization as a whole is resistant to new ideas, you might want to find a new job, because your company may soon be out of business.

If at first you fail, definitely try again. David Novak, co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands, spoke at a conference I was at recently and mentioned an innovation flop he had after he became chief operating officer of Pepsico in 1992. At the time, there was a rise in the buzzwords of “pure” and “clear” for all types of products. He saw an opportunity to lead Pepsi into this market and introduced Crystal Pepsi, a colorless soda. Fast forward, and once the product was ready, it didn’t taste much like the Pepsi many consumers know and love.

Novak went to market anyway. He felt the product would take off and customers would love it. You probably know how this story ends — Pepsi doesn’t have any colorless colas in the market. He pushed hard to execute an innovative idea and it flopped for a number of reasons. His mistake cost the company a lot of money, and he had to answer for it. Yet today, he has continued to climb the ladder and is the CEO of Yum Brands. He didn’t let that setback derail his career. He continued to voice new ideas. He continued to raise his hand for new projects. And most of all, he learned from his mistakes and factored them into the new ideas he was bringing to the table.

Weyler

 

Superbosses: How Leaders Guide Generations of Success

“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” –Steven Spielberg

You’ve likely encountered various leaders during your career–some with whom you worked well and others who were the impetus for leaving a job. Truly exceptional leaders–those whose brilliance in their field inspires the next generation of leaders–remain a rarity.

Sydney Finkelstein, Steven Roth Professor of Management at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, shares his research on exceptional mentors in the book Superbosses. Finkelstein’s research began with thousands of articles and hundreds of interviews, from which he identified eighteen definite superbosses and several dozen likely superbosses who became the subjects for his study. These leaders include Bill Walsh, George Lucas, Lorne Michaels, Miles Davis, Ralph Lauren, and Oprah.

Finkelstein defines “superbosses” as leaders whose success extends to a future generation of leaders they mentored. Leaders in many industries–from investment banking to professional football–have worked for the same well-known leaders. 

While they share some personality traits, including confidence, imagination, and a competitive edge, superbosses also utilize the coach and mentor competency and coaching strategies similarly. These practices include unconventional hiring and hands-on leadership.

When recruiting and hiring, superbosses value intelligence, creativity, and adaptability and seek out people with these qualities. They often select people who could excel in a range of positions, not just one specific role, and will tailor a job to a mentee they see something in. And they’re willing to take risks on hires with unconventional experience or education.

Superbosses also consider the quality of talent more important than long-term retention. Instead of assuming the best people will stick around, they foster “talent flow” as a key organizational value, instead of talent retention. In this way, turnover becomes an opportunity for growth, as superbosses keep in touch with former employees and these employees’ reputations continuously bring talent to the superbosses’ doors.

When cultivating talent, superbosses set high expectations and utilize strengths in inspirational leadership to rally mentees around their vision. This innovative vision lies at the heart of their success, yet they remain eager to adapt and make changes as long as their core vision is not diminished.

Superbosses achieve a balance between hands-on management and delegation. They effectively delegate and give their mentees autonomy and space to fail. Yet they also keep an eye on progress, offering direct and timely feedback. As necessary, they shift to teaching mode to help their mentees learn new skills. When their mentees flourish under this guidance, superbosses will often create customized career paths and opportunities for advancement. 

Above all, superbosses view coaching as a long-term process that extends beyond a single job or organization. They offer advice and initiate networking opportunities long after a mentee has left their organization. This can give rise to future business partnerships. And as the superboss coaches new talent, they, too, join this network of resources and opportunities.

Experiment with the Practices of Superbosses

Becoming a superboss may feel unattainable. But you can begin by taking small steps to implement the practices of superbosses into your own life.

Superbosses often have strengths in emotional intelligence, particularly in adaptability, influence, coach and mentor, and inspiration. Honing these competencies can make a crucial difference in your ability to make a lasting, positive impact on a mentee.

If there is a specific superboss you admire, try implementing one of the methods or practices that set them apart and thus make them effective. This could range from experimenting with an unconventional hiring process to delegating more responsibility to a young mentee. However you incorporate the practices of superbosses, keep an open mind and seek the opportunities that arise from change. 

Sterpenich

 

6 Clear Signs You’re Ready for A Leadership Role

1. You’re good at giving constructive feedback

One of the qualities of a good leader is the ability to evaluate an individual objectively and offer critical but constructive feedback to help them improve and grow in their career path. Do you find yourself giving team members helpful advice on a regular basis? Do they appreciate it and find it helpful? If yes, give yourself a pat on the back and check this box.

 

2. You’re decisive and calm under pressure

You’re often told by bosses and colleagues that you handle pressure really well, and you receive compliments regularly about your impressive ability to stay calm and decisive in stressful situations. Does this sound like you? If you’re seriously considering applying for a leadership position, being able to stay in control and make quick decisions under pressure is a prerequisite.

 

3. You’re well-liked

To be an effective leader, you need to inspire those around you. This means being well-liked by your superiors and peers. While you can’t please everyone, it’s essential that those around you respect you enough to follow your lead even when they don’t share your perspective. You’ll find it tough (if not impossible) to lead if you can’t inspire confidence and trust in your decisions.

 

4. You believe in accountability

As a leader, you’ll need to embrace accountability for those working under your supervision. Their mistakes will be your mistakes, just as their achievements will be a positive reflection of your guidance and direction. Applying for a leadership position means assuming responsibility for each individual reporting to you and making sure they work and grow together as a team.

 

5. You’re good at managing people

In parallel with the previous point, good people management skills are imperative if you aspire to be an effective leader. You will face the unenviable task of managing individuals with different personalities and temperaments while helping them to realise their full potential within the organisation. It’s a tall order, but that’s what good leaders have a natural aptitude for. Being a leader isn’t just about telling people what to do. It’s about bringing out the best in people and guiding them towards a path of continued career growth and professional excellence.

 

6. You know when to say ‘no’

As a leader, you’ll need to prioritize your time and resources, besides making difficult choices to meet company objectives and deliver projects within agreed budget and timelines. You will have a lot on your plate. You won’t be able to get your job done if you’re constantly saying yes to colleagues asking for favours or taking on all projects assigned to your team. You need to be able to say ‘no’ if the situation warrants it.

One of the key qualities of an effective leader is efficiency in managing workload and resources. No point in taking on more work if your people are already pulling overtime shifts on a regular basis. You need to prioritize your team’s well-being and look at the big picture. An overworked team will not be a productive or motivated team.

Stehnen

What I Wish I Had Known About Being A Great Employee

If Only I'd Known These Things...

Keep Your Word - Do Your Job

Do what you say you will do. No excuses. This isn't your high school English class where you can beg for extensions. Get your work done, on time, with as little drama as possible. This is your single most important job.

Your Manager Wants You To Succeed

One of the most forehead-slapping things for me to realize in hindsight was that most of my managers really did want me to succeed. Yes, there are a lot of toxic managers out there and I had my share of them too, and more on that later. I let those poor managers trigger me into setting myself up as the enemy of my manager. In normal healthy work environments, your manager usually is not your enemy. They're busy and under pressure and ambitious too. Truly, they want you to succeed, because it's just easier for them than dealing with the issues that come up when you don't. Coaching, managing, and yes, firing and hiring people is a LOT of work, and they really do think it would just be easier if you could be great at your job. So help them as much as you can, and think for yourself as much as you can, and you'll be a hero to your boss.

Your Manager is Not Your Parent - Get A Therapist

If you're fresh out of college, it's especially easy to continue on in the role of child. After all for your entire life to date your parents and teachers and professors have been authority figures with a lot of power over you. It's normal to have baggage and to even be triggered when your boss demands things of you in a way that reminds you of that parental relationship. But your boss is not your mother or father. They have a job to do, and so do you. Don't read so much into everything they say or do. They're human, they make mistakes, and they're not trying to keep you insecure or powerless. Seek a therapist to discuss these issues with. As you grow in your career, these issues will come up - even as you lead people, you learn about your triggers and therapy will make you a better manager, too.

If There's a Problem, Don't Wait or Hide It...

Say something before it gets so bad you want to quit, you start acting out, or someone gets fired or arrested. Managers assume you are fine until you say something. They're busy too, and yes, it's their job to ask and check in, but if not, you need to own this for the sake of your own career.

...But Don't Complain About Everything, Either

Those who rarely complain usually get immediate attention when they do finally speak. Figure out what's in your manager's control and selectively air your gripes in those ways. Try not to whine about the rest or you'll be labeled a malcontent. Work isn't easy, and no one wants to hang around complainers.

Get Stuff Done With No Drama = You Are A Star

Those who get "stuff" done and create no interpersonal drama are highly prized in organizations. Be that person. Don't let your emotions run your decisions. Take a breath, cool off, go for a walk. Make decisions with your head and think long term as much as you can. If you are truly this person and you are not highly prized for this trait, something is wrong, so leave your manager or your company. Tell a prospective manager that you are this person, and prove it, and you will be hired.

Ask For What You Want, Explicitly

Managers are busy but as I said above, they want you to be successful and happy. It's easier for them! So, get to the point. If you want help, or just want to explore some ideas without judgement, or need something, just say it out loud, explicitly and as clearly as you can. Don't just flop down in your boss' couch or the conference room and vent your emotions. Think it through, and figure out exactly what you want. Then ask for it.

Make Your Manager Look Great And Good Things Will Happen

If you do this and you are not being rewarded, get a new manager. Don't bother complaining about it, because it's not going to change. Move on and don't waste time trying to wonder whose fault it is.

Be Loyal To Your Boss

You never look good when you bad mouth your boss, and it always gets back to them. At that point, trust is dead and your career in that organization is likely now at a dead end. Loyalty in people is highly valued by managers. Don't gossip about them or your other team members. Believe me, they notice when you do, even if they never say anything to your face.

Fess Up, ASAP

The minute you think your deadline is at risk, or you know you've made a mistake, own it. Don't hide it! The earlier you fess up, the more time your manager has to help you fix it and help you clean up the the mess. It should go without saying that nasty but avoidable surprises are unprofessional, and you should never repeat them.

Choose Your Allies Carefully

When starting a new job, the first person to befriend you is likely disliked by everyone else. So pick your friends and allies carefully. Spend time observing where power and influence flow in your new company, both formally and informally, to avoid inadvertently making a career-limiting move early on.

Nobody Wants To Hear About How They Did Things At Your Last Job

After you have been there for awhile you can just suggest those things as your own ideas, like this: “Has {idea} been tried? I have had some success with it before.”

Pick Up After Yourself

Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. Keep your cube orderly. Apologize if you make a mistake. Volunteer sometimes, but not always, to take on grunt work. When a manager asks for volunteers they (should) value/reward those who do. Stop if they don’t.

IMPORTANT: None Of This Excuses Poor Management!

There's an inherent assumption in everything I just wrote. The workplace you are in and your manager must be reasonably sane and healthy. If your culture or leader is toxic, I suggest you get out as soon as you possibly can. Don't gaslight yourself into thinking you can change that. In fact, the longer you stay, the more damage you will do to your own psyche and your career as you adopt unhealthy habits.

At the same time, the purpose of this article is to challenge you to think about the parts of the relationship with your manager that you can own, even in the earliest and most powerless parts of your career. You do have choices in every situation, and those choices can either push your career forward, or stifle it.

 

Barnich

Tips For Happiness:

REFLECT DAILY ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CHALLENGES, AND THINGS YOU'RE GRATEFUL FOR.

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK WHEN YOU NEED IT.

CALL YOUR FAMILY ON A REGULAR BASIS.

ENRICH YOURSELF WITH NEW BOOKS AND/OR CLASSES.

FIND NEW METHODS TO RELIEVE STRESS.

PUT SELF-CARE AT THE FOREFRONT.

VOLUNTEER.

MAKE A LIST OF FUN TO-DOS AND CROSS ONE OFF EACH WEEK.

JOIN A COMMITTEE AT WORK OR A CLUB OUTSIDE.

CUT DOWN ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND UNPLUG MORE.

NOTE THE THINGS YOU WOULD'VE CHANGED ABOUT 2021 AND FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE ON THEM.

Difficult People

A gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger. 

While the hot-tempered person stirs things up, the patient person calms them down. When we get a critical comment from a colleague, a snide remark from a family member or a nasty reply from a stranger, we have a choice - to speak angry words that fuel the flames or gentle words that douse them. 

May God help us to speak words that turn away wrath and perhaps even help difficult people to change.

Loving God, give me the ability to respond to quarrelsome people with patient, gentle words. 
 

Seeing With New Eyes

Transformation happens whenever we open ourselves to see another's experience, looking beyond our own vision and encountering another's pain, fear or hopes. 

When we follow Jesus' example and do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit and instead in humility value others above ourselves, then we notice things we would have missed otherwise.

Our concerns broaden. We ask different questions. rather than being preoccupied with only our own needs or angst, we become invested in other's well being. Rather than looking to our own interest, we become committed to the interest of others. Rather than protecting what we assume we need to thrive, we joyfully pursue whatever helps others flourish.   

Better With God

Wisdom and Power are His!

Making the situation better by taking it to God.

Loving God, life's challenges feel overwhelming today. As I turn to You, inspire me to shed my despair to journey better with You. 
 

100lb

Anyway - up to Samuel & Mr. Horton's Secretary lor...I don't denied...doing TP for such a long marathon - can get fatigue one...if they really enjoy doing A&P; good for them...the both of them are very capable, competent in their own way...they can see the big picture, hardworking, determined...and yes; only selected in their work only...other than that...they are overall very good at what they are doing...maybe, they will enjoy doing A&P...just like now, Miss Chew ask Mr. Horton's Secretary to look into GMS BTS - this Mr. Horton's Secretary already know how to go behind my back (ya mah...they are suppose to be park under me in the structure that Miss Chew presented) - to reach out to the buyers...only later drop email only lor...Mr. Horton's Secretary's plans are holistic lah...all of this A&P is just follow-up, submit wish list lines...Mr. Horton's Secretary may enjoy it vs running reports lor...yup, maybe its time to go our separate ways... 

Rebel Kitchen

WatsApp Conversations:

Mr. Horton's Secretary: we do together k, don't stress out

Ishh...bila I cakap I am busy with campaigns that are national-related...want to do together pula...before that, cakap nak let go TP...so fake...this Mr. Horton's Secretary...  

Empowered Crystals

WatsApp Conversations:

Mr. Horton's Secretary: now i can look at TP, if involve too many in leaflet, i think i will let go TP at last

Why must let go of TP leh? Why not A&P?

Miss Chew ask Mr. Horton's Secretary to be more involve in leaflet now...I find that this Miss Chew is running us...everyone in the team...all over the place...

Whatever lah...consultant mindset...every day I get to wake up...it's already a blessing, it's already a plus 1 day to live the best life out there...  

Nizam of Hyderabad Rose brooch

WatsApp Conversations:

Samuel: i keep askig john to send request change me out from TP Upscale as I dont know how to handle liao

I think it is Miss Chew's fault lor...Samuel is so much better at driving trade than me...but Miss Chew go and make Samuel so busy with all of these A&P things. But then again - if this is what Samuel want lah...

Sandwich, Kent

Sigh...I certainly share Erin's sentiments on Miss Chew...Miss Chew is not appreciative of the trade planning department, don't want to learn, don't want to do...fine...but now I have the feeling that this Miss Chew is also removing both Samuel & Mr. Horton's Secretary from doing trade planning as well...it's like trying to cut me off from them...strip away my resources, take away my manpower...to overtake me...to make me paralyze so that I cannot do my daily work...undermine me lor...sigh... 

Autelhaut

 According to the Japanese, everyone has an Ikigai - A Reason For Living. 

Autelbas

Aww...this is so true and also what I lacks of...so, I am off to find more of those...

Sesselich

My favorite Netflix show.

Claire Foy is such an icon.

And that quote from a young Queen Elizabeth is so resonating with me...

Sampont

As we take steps of obedience into our future, we have to be okay with a blurry view because choosing to obey doesn't always mean the path will become clearer. But, it should mean that we get closer to our Guide. And that's the whole point. We have to be okay with unanswered questions, confusing situations and uncertain timelines. These are the moments that will push us to cling a little closer to Jesus. These are the moments that help us understand what it looks like to actually have FAITH.  

Fouches

In Old Testament times, like Rebekah, we will struggle with the desire to do things our own way, even when it comes to God's work. When we are focused on a problem, we may forget to look for God's will in the situation and resolve it by any means possible.

God is no different today than he was in Rebekah's time. His intentions and purposes will stand, with or without our cooperation, and often despite our interference. Even when it looks as if God's plan needs our help, it's best to concentrate on His will, not on our own ideas of how things need to be done. We win only when God gets his way.

The Lord's plans stand firm forever, His intentions can never be shaken. 

Clairefontaine

Focus on what is important to you. This will triumph over everything...