Pensamientos para hoy (afterthought for today)
Job Hunting
School's out for the summer, and my son Mark is trying to find a job. He's put in his application at a couple of places, but so far he hasn't heard back from them. He's not too worried though. He only needs a little spending money to be able to go to a movie occasionally or go out with his friends for a burger and fries. But if you're used to working full-time and have a lot of bills to pay, then not having a job can cause a lot of anxiety. Most of us do not voluntarily join the ranks of the unemployed, and if we suddenly find ourselves out of a job, we can easily worry about finding a new one. The job search can sometimes be intimidating. We will be older than the last time we went job hunting, and our skills may need to be updated, and we may find ourselves facing a time of doubt and uncertainty. Through the years I've found myself, more than once, looking for a job and I remember doubting my abilities and wondering when I'd finally find something. Yet, as soul-searching and emotionally taxing as a time of job hunting can be, it can also be very rewarding spiritually. A time of unemployment can help us seek God in a deeper way. We are forced to rely on God. We seek him more earnestly in prayer. And we seek his wisdom and direction. Especially if we are contemplating changing careers, we should seek God's guidance. If you are facing a time of unemployment and are looking for work or perhaps you are thinking about changing jobs, I'd like to suggest that you take your time. Take some time in self-evaluation. Perhaps you will want to exchange a better paying career for a more personally fulfilling one. God can help you sort through your options. He can direct you and help you make the best choice for a job that not only pays well but is satisfying. To do this you will need to spend considerable time alone with God. You may need to jettison some of your previously held beliefs about yourself and about what is important in a career. Ask God to guide you. This time of unemployment may be God's way of redirecting your life. Maybe he has allowed you to go through this time to move you into a different career path. God has a plan for your life, and you need to include God in your plans. Although past education, training, and experience can be a helpful guide, these factors should not be our ultimate guide in choosing a new career. A Bible verse from Paul's letter to the Christians at Philippi has an application about trusting God for the future: "One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."1 Don't let doubt or questions about your job qualifications keep you from "reaching forward". Don't allow lack of experience in a new career to keep you from exploring the fantastic opportunity that God has given you to seek him and to allow him to possibly redirect your path. A fellow traveler on the road of life, Pastor SteveFootnotes1 Philippians 3:13-14, NASB (New American Standard Bible). Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.
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