Tag: Jesus

Have a Peter Faith in Unemployment Plagues

Have you ever had one of those weeks?  The devil was trying his hardest this week.

It reminds me of Peter’s trial that started in the upper room. After Jesus directly told the disciples that someone in their midst would betray him, they briefly discussed who it was.  But the discussion quickly turned to who would be the greatest in the kingdom, again.  Even after being with Jesus for three years, the disciples still had a problem with self righteousness and pride.

Jesus told them:

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou

art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:31-32

“Satan hath desire to have you..” This is plural.  Satan wanted to sift ALL the disciples, not just Peter.  But God put boundaries around the others and only allowed Satan to sift Peter.  “..That he may sift you as wheat,” is singular, meaning specifically Peter.

I think Peter had the most problem with pride.  When confronted with this, Peter stated that he would follow Jesus anywhere, no matter what.  Pride goes before my fall too.

I have been like Peter, stating to Jesus, when times are good, that I would do anything and go anywhere for him.  But now that I am in the midst of the trial, I am failing him, just like Peter.

Peter betrayed Jesus three times.  I have been so close to betraying Jesus, by having such great doubts of his goodness.  All during this unemployment, I have continued to go to church and do missions, witnessing every chance I can get.  But it has been hollow, just going through the motions.

How do I witness when nothing seemed good, when I really didn’t believe it myself?

Even verse 32 didn’t bring me much comfort.  Knowing that Jesus is always in heaven interceding for me brought me little comfort.  During this long bout with unemployment, it feels like no one, including Jesus, is interceding for me or even cares.  I feel sure that Peter felt the same way, even though Jesus told him that he was praying for Peter, Peter didn’t feel it.   When trials come, don’t we want to “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die?” (Isaiah 22:13)

But, no matter how life is treating me at the moment, I have to decide (sometimes daily) that God is good and never changes.  I know this because the Bible says so and the Bible is the only truth.  In Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not…” and neither does His word. There are some things that you have to have faith in, no matter what life is throwing at you, no matter that you can’t see the end.

When I see that state workers are busy – processing federal worker’s unemployment claims and how unemployment plagues young people around the world, not just here, I have to step back and go to the Word – the ONLY truth.

Micah 7:8 “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a LIGHT unto me.” God’s Word will not pass away. Truth always stands. God does not change.  Make the decision to trust the Bible.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CFkQqQIwBA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baltimoresun.com%2Fnews%2Fmaryland%2Fpolitics%2Fblog%2Fbs-md-federal-unemployment-20131007%2C0%2C210409.story&ei=dHhVUuf7Nceo4AP3woHYAw&usg=AFQjCNGFCg-7q1RDSszNk1oCHjcAAVbzpA&sig2=lNiWRShR8ecSadBLnE1aYQ&bvm=bv.53760139,d.dmg

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Doubt and Long Term Unemployment

Doubts Happen Even to the Strongest Believers

“There are some times in our lives when we can’t seem to see God’s will for us clearly and what we thought would have happened by now, just isn’t so. WHEN THE DOUBTS COME is an encouraging message from Pastor Jeff Schreve that offers real hope and a weapon to battle those doubts so that you can continue walking confidently with the Lord.”  From the web site FromHisHeart.Org

I don’t think I have ever heard of Pastor Jeff Schreve or his TV ministry until this morning.  His message this morning really touched a chord with me.  I began to doubt when things don’t go the way I think it should.  What he calls ME-ology instead of THE-ology.  I love that.

Watch this mornings’ show here:

When the Doubts Come – From His Heart Ministries

I know that during my six months of unemployment, with no real job in sight, I have had doubts.  My doubts really started a number of years ago when I experienced spiritual abuse at our small church along with the death of both of my parents.  I lost most of my close friends and my spiritual anchors.  So I might have been really ripe for major doubts.

John the Baptist had major doubts too.  He was the greatest prophet, why would he of all people have doubts?  Simply, he was put in jail.  After being in prison for almost a year, the outdoor loving Baptiser was confined to a dungeon cell, probably not even able to see the sun.  So I shouldn’t feel alone when experiencing doubts – I just don’t need to stay in doubt.  John sent to Jesus for encouragement.

I thought I was through with doubts when I thought I hit rock bottom when recovering from the spiritual abuse.  I really doubted if God was there and why if God was for me, why did it seemed like He was against me?

I came full circle, started forgiving the people for all past offenses and I even forgave God for allowing it to happen.  Even though forgiving God is a strange thought, the process needs to happen to go forward with healing.

Then unemployment happened.  In past unemployment, God always delivered with a good job right before unemployment ran out.  I never was without insurance.  God was always good.  But, I already felt like this time was going to be different.

How am I supposed to be a witness for God, when I felt like God was against me?  How am I supposed to not doubt not knowing where the money will come from?

Steps of Doubt

Understand what causes doubt

  • When we experience long trials
  • When we can’t make a sense of the issues – that there is an ultimate plan
  • When we put our feelings before our faith – we don’t feel like God loves us

Come to God with our doubts

  • Come to God reverently
  • Come to God honestly
  • Come to Him expectantly – we need to expect that He will answer

Remember what we have seen and heard

  • Remember our past deliverances  – begin writing down every deliverance and blessing God has done for you.  When doubts arise, start reading.  As soon as I realize a God-deliverance or blessing, I write in on a slip of paper to put in our blessing jar.  When doubts come, pull out the jar and read all that God has done for YOU.
  • Remember the great deliverances from the Bible – read of David and Goliath, of the Red Sea, or of Abraham’s promised child.  If you read it as truth, it will renew your faith.

I hope this helps.  Unemployment is one of the hardest things I have ever done, including the deaths of both my parents.  But don’t doubt and lose hope!

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Unemployment Hopelessness

Hope While Feeling Hopelessness

This week I ran into a pride killing situation.  We finally decided that we needed help with our light bill and maybe with the groceries.

Before my unemployment, we depended on our money so much more than I really realized.  We depended on money to feed us, to let us live comfortably, to  allow us to help others.  We just took the blessing of money for granted, until it was ripped away.

So, just making the decision to get help with some of the bills was a huge humbling experience.  But waiting in the little office, just to be told to go home, we will call you was depressing.  I really wanted the experience to be over with and a resolution to be right around the corner.  Then the call never came.  The workers never answer the phone either, everything goes to voice mail.

It feels so unfair that all this is happening to us; That we have to fight at every step with a government that is determined to take every thing that we have worked for.

I didn’t even feel up to going to the DSS office to apply for food stamps in person, but I did do the online form.  It promptly told me NO.

Sometimes you have to lose everything to gain Everything.

Real Hope

The unemployment situation is totally out of our control, so we depend on God.  We go to Him for leading, and continue to satisfy our needs.

Even though I see the many things that we have to sell now to make payments and I tear up greiving, I am grateful for what we have.

I try to find ways to help others that don’t revolve around money.  Before, I would always, first,  give money instead actually doing anything.  Now I find real pleasure in finding different ways to be cups of cold water to people who are thristing for the love of God.

People who are unemployed can help their attitude by:

  • finding ways to help other – helping at a retirement home, helping at a homeless shelter,
  • don’t isolate yourself – get involved with people
  • prayer – God changes us in our quiet times
  • get into a real good Bible Study on Job for example.  Some Bible Studies won’t feel like it applies to your situation right now, but knowledge and wisdom always help
  • Don’t dewell on sites about unemploment – reading the comments only lead to more depression. Focus on sites that encourage and lift up your spirits and God.

Don’t give up!!  God is always good and He is helping even though it doesn’t look like He is.

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Finding Encouragement

“I personally feel that being the wife to an unemployed man means we need to do our part to show love in tangible ways, to be his best friend in the storm, to try lifting his spirits when we can, and to help boost his self esteem.”                                               ~ Rosann Cunningham, UnEmployed Faith

I love this quote from the book Unemployed Faith.  But what if the wife is the one who is the breadwinner and unemployed – where does encouragement come from then?

From the womb, I was a tom-boy.  I loved westerns and empathizing with the gunslingers and not the “helpless” women.  I always either had a toy gun in my hand or a race car.  No matter how many dolls Momma gave me, I had more fun with the “boy toys”.

My grandfather owned a hardware store, so I wanted to play store instead of house.  My whole life has been around not being helpless, of being in control.  I always believed I had more of a boy’s brain than a girl’s.

But, as I grew older, I definitely knew that I had at least part of a girl’s brain, because my feelings would get hurt discouraged at things that didn’t phase my husband.

I have been unemployed before, but this time is different.  God always came through in the other three times I have been laid off.  The week unemployment ran out, God had a job waiting for me.  I never doubted.

Now this unemployment happened.  God doesn’t seem to be anywhere around.  Bills are piling up, threats of house forclosure, threats of lawsuits for non payment, threats of reposession are happening on a weekly, if not daily basis.

I really love my husband, but all I hear from him is what we need to spend money on next, not what he is going to do to help.  It is always about what I need to do.

How do you find encouragement when there is none around to encourage?

Go back to the Bible.  All the encouragement you will need God will lead you to.  Also, find some good sites on Facebook.  The UnEmployed Faith group is great place for encouragement and to find others in your exact place of discouragement.

Always find something to give God praise for.  This simple but hard thing to do always comforts me and puts my attitude in a different place.

I hope this helps encourage others who are searching for something, anything to hold on to in this storm that threatens to overwhelm.

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