How do you define yourself? In what do you take pride and gain confidence? Your job or occupation? Children, spouse, friends? A hobby? Your house, car, earthly possessions? Your church or relationship with Christ?
I want to challenge you along with myself as I recant a few recent experiences.
Nearly 16 months ago, I lost my job. Most of you would have considered it a very good job. Our family had lived quite comfortably as an upper middle class family for close to 20 years. I worked hard with a healthy amount of stress in my professional roles and we really did not want for a whole lot. God had blessed us.
For the past 16 months, myself and 15,000,000 other Americans have been either unemployed or underemployed. Because of the severe recession, many very employable people, including myself, are unable to simply walk out and find a job as we could do in normal economic times where unemployment is around 3-5%. Dealing with this has been difficult psychologically and from an income standpoint, among others.
We have had to take a hard look at our priorities and actually, (hang on to your hats) begin living with a budget. This has been the toughest period of my life and yet, an experience I'm coming to believe that I would not trade.
God has been teaching me things that it took putting me here to get me to listen. I'm learning to depend on Him to meet our day to day needs whereas that has never been necessary before. As a result, my faith in Him has grown considerably. It has not been fun but it has been good. Isn't that a strange combination?
I have learned that bad things do happen to good people. In fact, the bible tells us we will experience tough times. This goes for believers and unbelievers as well. "Into every life a little rain must fall". Being "down and out" forces Christians to look up. At some point, when we come to the end of ourself, there is simply nothing left to do but look up and yell for help. I've learned that when we do, He is there.
I have learned that we as Americans have our priorities way out of order. Many of us with credit card debt, living above our means. Far more clothes and shoes in the closet than we need. Mortgages that stretch our pocketbooks all in the name of getting as much as we can to keep up with the Jones's. I have been guilty of these things.
I have learned that there are millions of people out there hurting amongst us. People losing homes, families breaking up. Do you realize there are people taking their lives over this stuff? This experience has given me a new appreciation for how they feel. Do you know what it's like to go through something like this?
I have had it reinforced that it's not what you know but who you know. Sad but true.
I have learned that there are only a few people who "really care". Oh, people will offer to pray but how many actually hurt for you? How many take the time to slow down and really care? Have you checked on a friend who is out of work this week, if only to offer a kind word of encouragement? Have you offered to help them out a little financially during this tough time? If you are in a position to do so, wouldn't God have you do so? What are you waiting on?
I have learned that the church (on the whole) is particularly negligent in knowing what it's members are going through and actually doing something to help. We have deferred Jesus commands to meet our brothers and sisters needs to the Government who cannot do this nearly as effectively or compassionately as the church could be. Do we leave it up to the church staff to know about these things and react to them? I've been guilty in this area.
I have learned that it's up to me to make a difference. As with everything in life, we can know about things but until we have experienced it, we do not appreciate the situation in the same way that someone who has lived it can. As a result of what I am experiencing, I am committing now to assist others. I know what it's like.
Christians - What tough lessons have we learned individually? Have you lost a job, a spouse, a child? Been through a divorce? Been betrayed by a friend? These are all tough realities of life that are difficult to get past. Are we using that experience to meet a like need in someone else's life? I have learned that this is one area I will be able to help others in the future and I commit to doing so starting now.
And, if you don't have a relationship with Christ, please know He loves you and wants that. I could not be as positive that I will get through this without a God who has been there all the way for me. He alone gives me hope and a reason to fight on and make a difference with others. He alone is the reason that I now say I am glad I am going through this experience. I will also be glad when it ends but I will never forget.
God bless you all my friends. Let's make a difference in someone's life today!
I want to challenge you along with myself as I recant a few recent experiences.
Nearly 16 months ago, I lost my job. Most of you would have considered it a very good job. Our family had lived quite comfortably as an upper middle class family for close to 20 years. I worked hard with a healthy amount of stress in my professional roles and we really did not want for a whole lot. God had blessed us.
For the past 16 months, myself and 15,000,000 other Americans have been either unemployed or underemployed. Because of the severe recession, many very employable people, including myself, are unable to simply walk out and find a job as we could do in normal economic times where unemployment is around 3-5%. Dealing with this has been difficult psychologically and from an income standpoint, among others.
We have had to take a hard look at our priorities and actually, (hang on to your hats) begin living with a budget. This has been the toughest period of my life and yet, an experience I'm coming to believe that I would not trade.
God has been teaching me things that it took putting me here to get me to listen. I'm learning to depend on Him to meet our day to day needs whereas that has never been necessary before. As a result, my faith in Him has grown considerably. It has not been fun but it has been good. Isn't that a strange combination?
I have learned that bad things do happen to good people. In fact, the bible tells us we will experience tough times. This goes for believers and unbelievers as well. "Into every life a little rain must fall". Being "down and out" forces Christians to look up. At some point, when we come to the end of ourself, there is simply nothing left to do but look up and yell for help. I've learned that when we do, He is there.
I have learned that we as Americans have our priorities way out of order. Many of us with credit card debt, living above our means. Far more clothes and shoes in the closet than we need. Mortgages that stretch our pocketbooks all in the name of getting as much as we can to keep up with the Jones's. I have been guilty of these things.
I have learned that there are millions of people out there hurting amongst us. People losing homes, families breaking up. Do you realize there are people taking their lives over this stuff? This experience has given me a new appreciation for how they feel. Do you know what it's like to go through something like this?
I have had it reinforced that it's not what you know but who you know. Sad but true.
I have learned that there are only a few people who "really care". Oh, people will offer to pray but how many actually hurt for you? How many take the time to slow down and really care? Have you checked on a friend who is out of work this week, if only to offer a kind word of encouragement? Have you offered to help them out a little financially during this tough time? If you are in a position to do so, wouldn't God have you do so? What are you waiting on?
I have learned that the church (on the whole) is particularly negligent in knowing what it's members are going through and actually doing something to help. We have deferred Jesus commands to meet our brothers and sisters needs to the Government who cannot do this nearly as effectively or compassionately as the church could be. Do we leave it up to the church staff to know about these things and react to them? I've been guilty in this area.
I have learned that it's up to me to make a difference. As with everything in life, we can know about things but until we have experienced it, we do not appreciate the situation in the same way that someone who has lived it can. As a result of what I am experiencing, I am committing now to assist others. I know what it's like.
Christians - What tough lessons have we learned individually? Have you lost a job, a spouse, a child? Been through a divorce? Been betrayed by a friend? These are all tough realities of life that are difficult to get past. Are we using that experience to meet a like need in someone else's life? I have learned that this is one area I will be able to help others in the future and I commit to doing so starting now.
And, if you don't have a relationship with Christ, please know He loves you and wants that. I could not be as positive that I will get through this without a God who has been there all the way for me. He alone gives me hope and a reason to fight on and make a difference with others. He alone is the reason that I now say I am glad I am going through this experience. I will also be glad when it ends but I will never forget.
God bless you all my friends. Let's make a difference in someone's life today!
Thats great Jim. Lots of good thoughts here. I think you know most of what I have been through in the last 18 months and I too would not trade anything I have learned. God is amazing and He is faithful. He cares for us and about every detail of our lives. God Bless you and your family as you open a new chapter of your lives. Praying 2011 is an amazing year for all of us :)
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