Brian,
Ok, Brian, and George. I owe you both and other gentle readers an apology for what came across as a "downer." That was not my intent. Thanks, Brian, for the mirror held up as to how my words came across. I know what was in my heart, but I realize it didn't come across well...
My intention was to praise God for bolstering George in the near term, but to share an insight I've had recently that perhaps we all need to change our expectations.
In the past 4-5 years, I've had 2 bouts of unemployment even with advanced degrees, a solid work history and a strong work ethic. It has been devastating emotionally above the havoc that resulted economically. This is NOT what I've been raised to expect would happen to me at age 60.
George and I have corresponded as have others and I know others have taken extended unemployment as a personal statement of their worth in God's eyes.
God's taught me resoundingly that nothing is further from the truth. Jobs are largely of this man's world. Even when I was out of work, I found ways to minister to others, but I didn't find joy in that...I was too focused on "woe is me."
I wanted my words to show that people in our country wanted change...and we've gotten it. Peter Drucker in the 70's wrote that, "...the only constant will be constant change...tellin ourselves to "hold on" till it's over is false hope as change will become the constant..."
That was 40 years ago. I've recently come through a dark tunnel of doubt and realized my employment, given my depth and breadth of skills and my willingness to do most anything I can, is more about economics and not that God is punishing me.
If anything, the time without work has been a learning time for me to finally realize that worldly things are not what God seeks from me, nor for me... He isn't punishing me, He loves me...and all of US!
While I rejoice that George found work...my feeble attempt was aimed at witnessing to the fact that we might all find unemployment one of those areas of "change."
I remember my parents were "children of the depression" and did some pretty menial things to survive throughout their early married lives. Nobody questioned if it was God punishing them. It was what it was.
Allow me to re-direct my statements to suggest that we all draw closer to God's heart and realize that our economic status is not a system of rewards and punishment.
God wants us to be cheerful givers amidst our own suffering. He calls us through Christ to be thankful even for the tough times to strengthen us for whatever task He may have in the days/years ahead. That is a huge area of growth need for me personally.
I lost sight of that. The job I finally got after 13 months of most recent unemployment is nothing I'd have envisioned myself doing anytime in the past 40 years...and I drive an hour each way for far less money than I've made in 15 years!
Yet, I'm grateful for the income I have. I don't like the work. I have no faith it will last. But I see it as a time for me to "get my house in order" again and salt what I can.
I wanted to share some of those recent learnings including: 1) that we should not expect that all will be rosey soon...or 2) that things might quickly return to the way they were. 3) We may indeed, as a country, soon learn what it is to struggle more than we've known for 3-4 generations. 4) With the way our current policy makers are eroding the American work ethic and our Christian heritage, we might have to fight a good fight and stop being the silent majority and make our nation "one nation under God" yet again.
Again, my apologies to George for redirecting his thread perhaps. It was never my intent. I post what is on my heart as I pray through each poster's concern or praise.
In hindsight, with the benefit of 20-20 vision hindsight brings, I see it was not presented well and I apologize again for any "downer" it caused.
May God continue to bless this country and all who lift up His Name as supreme ruler and lord of all. May He provide us wisdom to know how to again take charge and lead and how to endure while still offering up praise. An area of much needed growth for me.
Brian, thank you for your unintentional "mirrow" to allow me to redirect.
Peace. Keep the Son in your eyes.
Topic: Here we go again. (Update) (Read 1665 times)
