“Then the young lions roar for their prey, stalking the food provided by God. At dawn they slink back into their dens to rest. Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening.” (Psalm: 104:21-23 NLT)
Earning a living is part of the fabric of being a human being. Across the centuries, up until relatively recently, the earning of that “living” was the man’s responsibility, yet today the roles of “wage earner” have shifted. Even in my generation it wasn’t unusual for both the husband and wife to work, often until the children started coming, then the role of mother became the primary “job” of the wife.
The purpose of this post isn’t to debate the “rights and wrongs” of that plan, but to highlight the tragedy of a person who has a key role in supporting a family being unemployed in today’s economy. Many families live “paycheck to paycheck” without the luxury of saving much for the proverbial “rainy day,” thus, increasing the necessity of working to maintain the much-needed income to keep the family afloat.
However, let me mention one conviction I have that may help – regardless of your age or stage of life, don’t live beyond your means! Too often we have enough to get by, but not enough to keep up with our friends, so we borrow money we don’t have to build debt with which we can’t keep up, all because we’re trying to impress someone who doesn’t care, then we blame God for not “taking care of us.”
The Lord promises to meet the needs of His children, but He won’t always meet our “wants.” The Lord is a bountiful Provider and He wants us to prosper, not to live a lavish lifestyle, but to have enough to give generously, not only to the church, but to others in need. Yet, even as a believer we lose jobs, get sick and have to miss work, and for many other legitimate reasons are unable to give away as much as we’d like.
So, let me offer some food for thought if you or someone you know is out of work. Having been out of work and having had no real prospects, let me offer these suggestions. (1) Let prayer guide your search. I was an unemployed, divorced Pastor, so, I looked for Pastoral positions. At first, I didn’t realize divorced Pastors weren’t “hot items” as prospects for churches without a pastor. I ended up selling cars and learned to enjoy it.
Maybe whatever your profession, don’t be too picky. Yes, of course, put out your resumes, but keep your mind and heart open to doing something else. You’re out of work because the Lord allowed it, so, just maybe He wants to send you in a different direction, even if it’s only temporarily.
Related to that (2) Volunteer. If you’re out of work, presumably you have some time on your hands, so, investigate options on a volunteer basis. Love kids, elderly, needy, yard work, mechanics, technology, Accounting, Law, Medicine, almost any field has options for volunteers. More than we like to think, it’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know. You’d be amazed who you can meet when you volunteer.
And here’s the best advice I can give you: (3) Be attentive to the Lord’s voice! This should come as no surprise, but the Lord knew before He laid the foundations of the earth that one day, thousands of years later, you’d be out of work. He does nothing by accident, nothing catches Him by surprise, and He allows nothing to enter the life of a believer except it passes through the filter of His permission. He knows your need and He will meet that need in His time. So, trust Him. Wait for Him, but in the meantime, stay busy searching, writing letters, sending resumes, telling anyone who will listen about your need for work.
This can be the most important season in your life. Don’t miss what God has for you.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 