Unemployed And Living With The F Word

We don't use the "F" word in public. It's really not socially acceptable to express yourself so… candidly. What would our friends think? What would our children say? And we especially don't want to use that word with our spouses - that would just add to the problem and might even cause a fight.

Did you know that earliest man had to deal with it? In fact, science has shown that, because of it, we as a species learned to survive in a hostile world. Then centuries later here we are, again, in the hostile world of unemployment. History teaches that to learn to protect ourselves we must come to grips with the "F" word… Fear.

Fear can freeze a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car and it can freeze us in our attempts to find work. We get "gun-shy," overreact, and even begin to anticipate the disappointing no's of the job search.

Every successful salesman will tell us that you can't be afraid to hear "no" if you're ultimately going to make the sale. Like them, we can't be afraid of no's in our search for a new job.

The Bible tells us, over and over again, to "fear not" because God is in control and knows what He's doing for those who trust in Him.

"Do not fear, for I am with you; 

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. 

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, 

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 (NASB95)

There's another "F" word the Bible uses that gives us the means to live with the "Fear" word - Faithfulness. If we boil down words like perseverance, trust, determination, and even obedience, we end up with the word "Faithfulness." Our being faithful to God throughout this tough jobless circumstance can overcome the "Fear" word. And the easiest way for us to remain faithful to God is to remember how faithful He is to us.

Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9 (New Living Translation)

But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NLT)
Keep at it. God is faithful. He'll help you drive that other "F" word out of your life.
So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?" Hebrews 13:6 (NLT)