Unemployment
By Cynthia Howerter
So. You didn’t see it coming. Or maybe you did. In either case, it’s a shock. Questions swirl through your mind. What will we do for money? How will we live? What if we can’t make the mortgage payment? How will we buy food? How will we pay our bills? Questions that you can’t answer. At least for now.
I didn’t see my husband’s unemployment coming. Neither did he. But, suddenly, the job was over. Done. Not to be resurrected. And there was no time to prepare.
I remember praying right away. Not a flowery, lengthy prayer. No, I got right to the point: “Help, God. Help!” I didn’t need an abundance of words. God knew what I was praying about. He knows what you’re praying about.
When any adversity strikes us, it is not a random circumstance. As believers, we know that nothing is random, but, rather, that there is a purpose to everything under the sun. So, rest assure that God knew before you did that you or your spouse were going to lose the ability to earn a living.
Why, you want to know, would God allow you to lose your income?
Let me ask you this: Did God have a place in your life before you lost your job? Were you setting aside time everyday to pray and read the Scriptures? Or were you just going about your life inserting God into it whenever you thought about it – which probably wasn’t on a regular basis. Am I right? I know. Ouch.
Did God have your attention before you lost your job? Well, there’s the answer to your question – “why would God allow us to lose our income?” I’ll bet God’s got your attention now.
Now that you’re focused on God, what’s next? My husband and I learned that as soon as adversity happens, we need to ask God to reveal exactly what He wants us to learn. Because you see, God wants to teach you something through this difficult situation. The sooner you ask Him what it is He wants you to learn, the sooner you can hear what He says to you.
Now, how do you focus on God? There are two basic ways. Read the Scriptures and talk to God. Every day. (I’ll talk more about the Scriptures in a later article). Are you waking up during the night filled with fear and anxiety? Stop and talk to God about it. Are you scared and worried? Tell Him. No matter what is going on in your life, focus on God. Every day. Every night.
“Now, Cynthia, didn’t you just tell me that God allowed me to lose my job?” I did. “Then why should I focus on God?” Good question, friend. Would you jump out of an airplane without a parachute? Didn’t think so. Look at your job as the airplane. Your employer just threw you out of the plane at an altitude of 27,000 feet. Exactly what will get you out of this free fall without a messy landing? Bingo. God is your parachute. God allowed you to lose your job and God is able to give you another.
But first, is there something you want to say to God? Umm. Hmm. Give up? Well, let me ask you this: What do you expect your children to do when they’ve been disobedient to you? Ooh. And, you haven’t been disobedient to just anybody. You’ve been disobedient to the God of the Universe. Ever wonder what those knees were made for? Now you know.
Once you decide to make God the main focus of your life, once you humbly ask for forgiveness for your disobedience, and after you ask God to reveal exactly what it is that He wants you to learn through this terrible situation, then wait patiently for God to begin speaking to you. This usually takes awhile. So be patient. But know this: God is faithful to those who are faithful to Him.
“But if we confess our sins, He will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.” 1 John 1:9.
God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him. Job 42:7-17.
Come back for my next article in the Series “Happy Endings Do Not Only Exist in Fairy Tales.” I’ll be discussing the importance of the Scriptures in the midst of this calamity you’re in. In the meantime, if you know anyone who could benefit from reading today’s article, please tell them about it. This series is meant to be shared.
If you have a story pertaining to unemployment that you would like shared, please contact me. As Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. said every week on TV when I was a kid, “The names will be changed to protect the innocent.”
To God Be the Glory!
Cynthia Howerter © 2011
Residing in Virginia, Cynthia writes Christian historical fiction and nonfiction. She is a popular guest speaker, recently traveling to New York to speak on this topic.
By Cynthia Howerter
So. You didn’t see it coming. Or maybe you did. In either case, it’s a shock. Questions swirl through your mind. What will we do for money? How will we live? What if we can’t make the mortgage payment? How will we buy food? How will we pay our bills? Questions that you can’t answer. At least for now.
I didn’t see my husband’s unemployment coming. Neither did he. But, suddenly, the job was over. Done. Not to be resurrected. And there was no time to prepare.
I remember praying right away. Not a flowery, lengthy prayer. No, I got right to the point: “Help, God. Help!” I didn’t need an abundance of words. God knew what I was praying about. He knows what you’re praying about.
When any adversity strikes us, it is not a random circumstance. As believers, we know that nothing is random, but, rather, that there is a purpose to everything under the sun. So, rest assure that God knew before you did that you or your spouse were going to lose the ability to earn a living.
Why, you want to know, would God allow you to lose your income?
Let me ask you this: Did God have a place in your life before you lost your job? Were you setting aside time everyday to pray and read the Scriptures? Or were you just going about your life inserting God into it whenever you thought about it – which probably wasn’t on a regular basis. Am I right? I know. Ouch.
Did God have your attention before you lost your job? Well, there’s the answer to your question – “why would God allow us to lose our income?” I’ll bet God’s got your attention now.
Now that you’re focused on God, what’s next? My husband and I learned that as soon as adversity happens, we need to ask God to reveal exactly what He wants us to learn. Because you see, God wants to teach you something through this difficult situation. The sooner you ask Him what it is He wants you to learn, the sooner you can hear what He says to you.
Now, how do you focus on God? There are two basic ways. Read the Scriptures and talk to God. Every day. (I’ll talk more about the Scriptures in a later article). Are you waking up during the night filled with fear and anxiety? Stop and talk to God about it. Are you scared and worried? Tell Him. No matter what is going on in your life, focus on God. Every day. Every night.
“Now, Cynthia, didn’t you just tell me that God allowed me to lose my job?” I did. “Then why should I focus on God?” Good question, friend. Would you jump out of an airplane without a parachute? Didn’t think so. Look at your job as the airplane. Your employer just threw you out of the plane at an altitude of 27,000 feet. Exactly what will get you out of this free fall without a messy landing? Bingo. God is your parachute. God allowed you to lose your job and God is able to give you another.
But first, is there something you want to say to God? Umm. Hmm. Give up? Well, let me ask you this: What do you expect your children to do when they’ve been disobedient to you? Ooh. And, you haven’t been disobedient to just anybody. You’ve been disobedient to the God of the Universe. Ever wonder what those knees were made for? Now you know.
Once you decide to make God the main focus of your life, once you humbly ask for forgiveness for your disobedience, and after you ask God to reveal exactly what it is that He wants you to learn through this terrible situation, then wait patiently for God to begin speaking to you. This usually takes awhile. So be patient. But know this: God is faithful to those who are faithful to Him.
“But if we confess our sins, He will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.” 1 John 1:9.
God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him. Job 42:7-17.
Come back for my next article in the Series “Happy Endings Do Not Only Exist in Fairy Tales.” I’ll be discussing the importance of the Scriptures in the midst of this calamity you’re in. In the meantime, if you know anyone who could benefit from reading today’s article, please tell them about it. This series is meant to be shared.
If you have a story pertaining to unemployment that you would like shared, please contact me. As Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. said every week on TV when I was a kid, “The names will be changed to protect the innocent.”
To God Be the Glory!
Cynthia Howerter © 2011
Residing in Virginia, Cynthia writes Christian historical fiction and nonfiction. She is a popular guest speaker, recently traveling to New York to speak on this topic.
Thank you so much for your thought provoking post, Cynthia, and welcome to Overcoming Through Time-With God's Help. I was thinking as I read your article that these are the things we need to do every day, regardless of what we are going through in life, so thank you, Cynthia, for the reminder. If we have searched our hearts, and can find no disobedience there, then perhaps this trial is (whether it be unemployment, health issues, etc.), just for the refining process that every Christian must go through at one time or another. Perhaps to work patience, or to simply try our faith. The Bible says "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord shall deliver them out of them all." Isn't that a wonderful promise, folks? As Cynthia just stated, God is faithful to those who are faithful to Him, and even though, it seems like He is late, at times, He always comes right on time, not on our timing schedule, but His.
ReplyDeleteAgain, Cynthia, thank you for sharing that with us, and I know there's is more I need to do to stay completely focused on Him, and off of myself.
oops-there is more...
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Cynthia! I've been unemployed for the last year, and this did speak to me. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a tough hit in life! I am blessed to have my husband keep his job, even if it is just part time! martha(at)lclink(dot)com
ReplyDelete"God assumes full responsibility when we obey Him"... great reminder. Thanks, Cynthia.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gwendolyn, for reading my article and for your comment. I'm glad the Lord used my writing to touch your heart. You may want to read the rest of this unemployment series on my blog, SOAR WITH EAGLES. I pray that you will soon find the right job.
ReplyDeleteMartha, thank you for taking the time to read my article. I rejoice with you that your husband has employment. God is so good. While our bout with unemployment was devastating, each member of our family agrees that it was the best thing that ever happened to us because of the way it brought us close to the Lord.
ReplyDeleteKeiki, thank you for your comment and for taking the time to read my article. God has given me a true friend in you. Bless you.
ReplyDeleteDiana, you are so kind to not only have read my article but to have written such a profound response. Being refined is never easy, but it is oh, so worth it. Blessings to you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this devotional, Cynthia.
ReplyDeleteIt is applicable to many, whether they are suffering from job loss or any other trial they are journeying through.
Many blessings to you and your family during this Christmas season and joy in the New Year.
Cynthia thank you for this post, it makes me realize I sometimes take for granted God's blessings in my life. I am a homeschooling mom of two sons and things have been very tight in the past 2 years but God has been faithful. Thank you for the reminder of Who is in control of every situation that comes our way.
ReplyDelete