In light of that fact, and the crazy economic situation most of us are enduring, what I'm about to say is going to sound crazy. Ludicrous. Insane.
I believe that unemployment has been a gift to us. And not for the reasons you might think. Getting out of a horrible job situation, having a chance to reevaluate your career path, taking time to get some extra education are all positive ways to look at unemployment. And we've done all of those things. But that's not why I call it a gift. I call it a gift because...
~in our seasons of unemployment, God has been able to show off how faithfully and lavishly He cares for us~
God has promised in His word that He will care for our needs. Neither shelter, food or clothing do we need to have a worry or care about, as He has promised to provide it all. In the book of Philippians, it says, "And my God shall supply ALL your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." That's a huge promise. It is fulfilled with every paycheck you receive from your job. It is fulfilled with every meal that is placed on the table, every month the bills are paid, every season of clothing that is available to be worn. But until those needs have no human way of being met, that promise seems to lose its oomph on us.
Let me say it another way: when we enter a season with no provision but continued need, and somehow everything is provided for anyway, we are experiencing the reality of God's promise in Philippians 4. And may I boldly say, most of our wants too.
This has taken me years to realize and appreciate. Our first round of unemployment lasted seventeen months. It began in our first year of marriage. (Um, can anyone spell "stress"?) And I was a jumble of emotions from the first month to the seventeenth. Begging God. Pleading with Him. Angry at Him. Rarely trusting Him. Our second round of unemployment I started out on the proud foot of "I'm-gonna-make-Him-smile-at-how-I-handle-it-this-time." and then as the months ticked by - all fifteen of them - my stance waivered and waivered and wobbled until I was back to the begging, pleading, angry tears of confusion.
Through the process of dear hubby landing a 6-month contract job at the end of those fifteen months, I went through a really rough patch, asking questions that were the wrong questions. I wanted to know "why" on so many levels I could have built a sky-scraper with them... And "why" isn't necessarily a bad question to ask. But when the goal is to have a relationship with and glorify God, "why" is usually not the question to ask. "What?" is a better question. "What was the purpose?" "What did I learn?" "What did God do?" "What could have been different?" "How?" is a good question too. "How did I grow from this?" "How did God reveal Himself?" "How did I bring Him glory?"
So gentle and patient, God showed me the many, MANY ways He provided for us in every situation. From truly miraculous interventions, to the Body of Christ, looking more like the first century church than a building, to guiding us through some financial decisions...God showed off in huge ways how very capable He was of handling our needs. We truly were on an adventure, watching, sometimes daily, to see how He would show up and provide. He always did. Hear me on this: GOD ALWAYS PROVIDED. And it RARELY looked like how we thought it would/should/could. But it was sufficient. More often than not, it was LAVISH.
God is the epitome of a joyful giver.
Do you know what I came to learn through this experience? I am not afraid of what lies ahead. I know God will provide. I know He is quite capable of caring for me and mine. And as we broach this next season of uncertainty, I nearly embrace it (just being honest here...I'm nowhere near perfect and in my flesh, this slightly sickens me) with a full heart. Though I know God was the ultimate provider with every paycheck we received these last six months, I also know its easier for me to see His creative ways when no paycheck is in sight.
In the United States, Thanksgiving is fast approaching. Can you believe it? Christmas is around the corner. We are about to enter this holiday season with no clue as to what lies ahead. And I am so thankful that God has given us this chance to show our little world what it looks like when we trust Him not just for eternity, but for today. For the needs of this day. This unemployment, I tell you, it is a precious, precious gift. As we look at the recent past of His faithfulness, may we daily walk in trust and give Him much well-deserved glory for how He loves us.
Do you have a story to share of God's faithfulness to you?
No comments:
Post a Comment