Let me open up on what I have been learning for the past three weeks:
Ever had something happen in your life that changes the course of everything, I mean it changes the plans that you had for your future and you are left feeling like you are back to where you started? I have....
I was looking forward for my probation to end because I was so sure that I would be upgraded into a permanent employee, I mean I did the work I was required to do and I even at times went beyond the expectations, everything was going well, I had all these plans of what I would do after I get to be a permanent employee.All these changed when the general manager was in town and he had come to shut down our department because they were downsizing... oh boy! all my plans went down the drain..
Here are some of the things I have learned through this time:
1. God has a unique plan for me: During this time I was tempted to compare my life with my friends,their lives seemed to be getting better while I felt stuck. I would think to myself " if only God gave me the job He gave so and so, I would still be working." I constantly felt inadequate.... Until I started looking
into God's word about what He says about me as an individual:
Jer 29: 11: I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for
He has great and mighty plans for ME, He has uniquely shaped my life so that whatever I go through is part of His great plan to get me to where He wants me to be, to gain the qualities that I need to fulfill my destiny. That I do not need to be someone else, I do not have to have what anybody else has but I have EXACTLY what I need to fulfill my destiny on this earth.We may have our plans but God has a BETTER plan for us..
Meaning that at times we will lose that job, that relationship...etc...that God will close that door that we wanted to be opened for longer so that He would open a new chapter in our lives simply because He knew if He asked us to walk away we would not have agreed to.
2. God is ALWAYS there: During this time I was also tempted to think that God had forsaken me, I felt like He had let me down, I felt so alone and I was left to handle all this on my own and plan how I would get myself back up.
Deuteronomy 31:8:It is I the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
I had to realize that my feelings do not change what God has promised in His word...when He said He will NEVER leave me nor forsake me...He meant it! and I had to believe it, I had to take hold of that promise and trust that He is working in the background and I just had to wait to see the results.
3. Sometimes you have to encourage yourself: Most of the times when we face difficult situations we usually run to our friends or family so that they would help us handle the situation But I realized that no matter what anyone would tell me to encourage me would not impact me unless I believed it and spoke it myself. The devil is always roaming around looking to steal our peace, joy and hope and one of the ways to fight these negative thoughts that he will throw at us is by speaking God's word out loud, I would always speak out " That God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly , above and beyond all I could ever think or imagine!". Just like Jesus when the devil tempted Him in the wilderness, He spoke out God's word to fight off the devil.
The devil knows that once he makes you doubt who you are in Christ you will never be able to live the kind of life you are meant to. So you will need to really get into God's word during this time and find out what He says about you...and speak it out and believe it.
4. All things work together for good for those who love the Lord: Funny things is the same day we were laid off, I got another job offer but because of what had happened I did not even stop for a second and appreciate that I have just landed another job.
I had to reach a point and believe that God always makes the crooked paths straight, He holds my world in His hands and He will not let go of me and eventually He does restore everything and gives you double for your trouble. He makes all things work together for good. The previous job allowed me to get the experience that I needed to handle the new responsibilities that I have now...
It caught me by surprise but it did not surprise Him, before a heartache touches my life it has to go through His hand and He would have found a way to keep me from the hurt but since He did not it shows He planned for me to go through it. Even if I still do not see the whole picture like He does, I choose to believe Him and trust Him no matter what, I most importantly got to the place where I can confidently say...
" That God has the power to give me anything He wants but I am not here because of the things He can give me but the touch of His love is enough for me because I know how it felt before I accepted Him in my life"
I hope this post will act as encouragement to you, who has lost a job, a loved one, or maybe someone walked away from you, that during this time you will seek God and ask Him to lead you because He will hold your hand through it all and when no one else understands what you are going through, your Father in Heaven understands... so cast all your cares to Him.
