“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”- Philippians 4: 6-7 (The Message)
Most of us, Laura Story notes in Chapter 17 of Blessings, have some sort of temporal plan for our lives. God also has a plan for our lives- but with an eternal perspective. When our plan and God’s plan conflict, God always has the last word. “Why” our ministry downsizing or career loss happened is not as significant as “Who” is with us on our healing journey toward revisioning and revitalization of our vocation.
While we may not be sure why our downsizing or career loss happened, Laura points out that there are two things of which we can be sure:
1. God always is with us.
2. God can use our trials for His purposes.
As A. W. Tozer states, we simply need to take Jesus’ hand as He leads us:
“God has charged himself with full responsibility for our eternal happiness and stands ready to take over the management of our lives.”
Today’s question: As Christ displaces worry at the center of your life, how are you beginning to see God using your job loss for His purposes?
Tomorrow’s blog: “Crying out in anger”
