I remember a conversation I had with a good friend about 5 years ago concerning the status of his employment. We had decided to meet at a fast food restaurant and simply take time to catch up on each other’s lives. At the time, he was on staff at a rather large church, and our country was at the beginning of the economic downturn. This fact affected the finances of the church.
As we were talking he revealed to me that it looks like he will be losing his job. At this point, it was a position that he had for several years. I was surprised how peaceful he seemed about the prospect of being unemployed. His wife had a job, but didn’t make enough to take on the all the bills. They were going to have to cut back on several line items in order to make it. “We will survive”, he said “God has always been good to us”.
Still, the elephant remained in the room. Why would God allow such a passionate man of God to lose a job that is supporting his family?
Then…this amazingly faithful man of God said something that has affected my life since I heard it. As I was pushing the issue about the obvious concern that this circumstance would induce, he said “you know…God doesn’t owe me a job.” This caught me off guard, because at first I wasn’t sure what he was getting at. “God doesn’t owe me anything….I think that whatever God gives me, for whatever season He gives it to me, it is a tool to use for Him…and only Him. Yes, my family is going to struggle financially, but we are not called to have more than we need but to serve Him.”
Honestly…how can anyone REALLY have this type of attitude? Well, in my experience, when we say yes to God, we are putting the responsibility of provision back into His lap.
God owes us nothing, but He chooses to bless us each at different levels. It is our choice to give everything we have back to Him. We may get no visible reward, but praise God that He uses us.
This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. For the original post, go to: http://other-words.net/2013/02/26/a-story-from-the-downturn/
BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.
As we were talking he revealed to me that it looks like he will be losing his job. At this point, it was a position that he had for several years. I was surprised how peaceful he seemed about the prospect of being unemployed. His wife had a job, but didn’t make enough to take on the all the bills. They were going to have to cut back on several line items in order to make it. “We will survive”, he said “God has always been good to us”.
Still, the elephant remained in the room. Why would God allow such a passionate man of God to lose a job that is supporting his family?
Then…this amazingly faithful man of God said something that has affected my life since I heard it. As I was pushing the issue about the obvious concern that this circumstance would induce, he said “you know…God doesn’t owe me a job.” This caught me off guard, because at first I wasn’t sure what he was getting at. “God doesn’t owe me anything….I think that whatever God gives me, for whatever season He gives it to me, it is a tool to use for Him…and only Him. Yes, my family is going to struggle financially, but we are not called to have more than we need but to serve Him.”
Honestly…how can anyone REALLY have this type of attitude? Well, in my experience, when we say yes to God, we are putting the responsibility of provision back into His lap.
God owes us nothing, but He chooses to bless us each at different levels. It is our choice to give everything we have back to Him. We may get no visible reward, but praise God that He uses us.
This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. For the original post, go to: http://other-words.net/2013/02/26/a-story-from-the-downturn/
BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.
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