Along this difficult
journey of unemployment, I have struggled to not focus solely on the “finish
line”. Over the last 19 months, I have realized the
importance of focusing my heart and mind on what God is doing on the journey each day and not just on the
destination I’m hoping to finally arrive at.
It has been crucial to
walk a path of daily surrender and to ask God for His supernatural grace for
each day. The Lord richly gives me what
I need for today and what it holds – but I will also need a ton of grace again
tomorrow!
And as I go day by day, I
begin to see my life from God’s perspective.
I begin to value what He is showing me each day, though the days have
seemed long. One of the things He has
been faithful to show me is the fruit of this long season.
A few months ago, my
daughter, Kelsey, wrote me this letter:
I was so blessed by the truth my daughter was reminding me of – and I was grateful for all God has made real to her ten-year-old heart. What
fruit it is to know God is working in my kids through this time. That alone is worth all of this difficulty!
So I have learned to see
what God is doing day by day. And then,
one day, a “suddenly” happened that changed everything
I am pleased to report
that after 583 days without a job, I am no longer unemployed! The Lord created
a “suddenly” in my story and a finish line popped up out of nowhere. I have
been blessed with an incredible job that I started yesterday. It will
provide me with an incredible opportunity to be blessed more then even
before! Only our God can work out something
like that!
The Lord family stands
here as a testament to God’s faithfulness.
I love and trust God more than I ever have before. He has brought deep healing to my heart. My family is closer than ever. My daughters have found God in deeper ways
for themselves.
Unemployment is not
something I would ever wish on anyone.
But having experienced all of the fruit that God has worked each day along the journey, I would not have changed a
thing!
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ReplyDeleteCraig we are rejoicing with and for you all. I am also praising God for the furnace work I know He has been doing along the way in you, as the head of your home. Refining is never easy, but you will come forth as gold. James MacDonald has much to say on this topic that gave me perspective along the same kind of road we went through a few years ago. I know we have only spoke a few times, but I feel I know of what you have been through, and I am thankful for that journey for you. Blessings to you and your family. Bill Michaelis
ReplyDeleteBill, thank you for your encouragement. You are right-refining is so hard, but worth it in the end! So grateful for all God has done for both of our families. Blessings on the Michaelis' family!
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