Sometimes You Get Manna

The circumstances of being unemployed reminds me of the people of Israel's wandering in the wilderness. That's why I titled my book Unemployed: Life in the Wilderness. The day to day struggles of being without work is just like that dry, lonely, desolate, and desperate situation. In a New York Times article of February 22, 2010 entitled "The New Poor," Peter S. Goodman said, "And now they find themselves in the desert of joblessness." I agree. It's obvious to anyone who's been through it. When you're out there in that wasteland of the newspaper classifieds and internet job sites it is just like being in the desert where Israel found themselves.

But, there were blessings there in the wilderness. The people of Israel didn't even recognize it at the time, but God was taking care of them. He provided for them every day. There were probably over two million of them, counting the women and children, yet God provided food and water every day. Sometimes He provided resources so they could buy food (Deuteronomy 2:5), but He didn't always provide money. In the wilderness God provided that strange and wonderful stuff called manna (Exodus 16:4).

Like Israel, when we are wandering in the desert of joblessness, God provides for us in unexpected ways. We can get help from our friends, families, former business associates, churches, and even from "official" sources of government. To get help we don't need to understand exactly what the help involves. When God provides, sometimes you get manna. When it came to the people of Israel they didn't even know what it was. Their reaction was "what is this" (Exodus 16:15)?

When we have a need, whether it's food or a job, God chooses to assist us according to His own plan. It isn't always by providing a job. Sometimes it's allowing other people to be blessed by helping us. Sometimes we can't even identify the specific source of the help. We just feel better after getting it. And, like Israel, we are told to be grateful for the provision without trying to analyze what it is, how it got there, or even how long it's going to fast. It's just good to get it.

Keep moving forward in the wilderness. Keep thanking God for His provision and sometimes you'll get manna.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7 (New Living Translation)

Job Hunting Is Like Wrestling Angels

Experts tell us that the best way to succeed in a job search is to keep at it. When we're discouraged, disappointed, overwhelmed and on the verge of giving up, we must keep going.

I see a wonderful example of that in the Bible book of Genesis, chapter 32, verse 26. Jacob has spent the night wrestling with an angel. It's been tough. At one point the angel dislocates Jacob's hip. That's painful. It reminds me of some of the painful experiences of my job search. There were times when I've left an interview or networking meeting and I felt something was definitely dislocated. But, just like Jacob, we can't give up just because of a little pain. We must hold on and keep wrestling.

In our job hunting we must have the same attitude Jacob had in Genesis 32:26. His basic prayer was, "I won't stop until you bless me!" God responds well to perseverance. In fact, He commands us to persevere.

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;

for once he has been approved, 

he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 

James 1:12 (New American Standard Updated)

And the great news is that He even provides the power to keep going. That's a great picture of God's grace during unemployment.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. 

Psalm 28:7 (NASB)

He wants us to hang on and be blessed and He helps us hang on and be blessed. We've just got to decide to do it.

Jacob hangs on and in Genesis 32:28,29 is given a blessing and a new name reflecting his determination. "Israel" means "he who strives with God." Now, did Jacob overpower the angel and force God to give a blessing? No! At any time God could have overcome Jacob's desire to hang on. But God likes determination and perseverance - especially when they are exercised in a desire for His blessing.

In your job hunt, hang on! Keep at it! Wrestle with the situation. God will bless you for it.

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, 

so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement 

grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 

so that with one accord you may

with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Romans 15:4-6 (NASB)

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)