This is a series of 6 articles about the different aspects of your job search…
Aspect #6: Spiritual Aspects Of A Job Search
As a Christian, your faith impacts all areas of your life, including your job search.
Somehow, we get the idea that if we live a good life, follow God as best we can, go to church, engage with others in Bible study and fellowship, and help the poor that we’ll be immune to difficulties.
We think God will protect us from struggles. Not so!
When I lost my job…
I had this illusion more than 25 years ago when I lost my job. I couldn’t understand how God would let this happen. What had I done wrong (nothing by the way)? I thought this was one of the benefits of being a believer.
For three months, I could only sit in the parking lot while my family went to worship. I wept. I prayed. I anguished over what I should do. Then over the course of time it came to me; it wasn’t the fact that I lost a job that said anything about my faith, but how I responded to losing my job.
I learned that a job search really is a matter of faith. As R. C. Sproul puts it:
Faith…involves trusting in the future promises of God and waiting for their fulfillment.”
That’s what a job search is; trusting in the future promise of God to provide a place for you.
Continue in faith…
It’s crucial that you maintain all the spiritual disciplines that you were practicing before you lost your job. Such things as worship and prayer, Bible study and fellowship, ministering to the poor all help define your character and influence your actions.
By doing this, you’ll give God more freedom to direct your steps. You will also keep in touch with others that can support, pray, encourage and provide resources for you in your search.
God doesn’t work the way we think He should. He does things out of the ordinary, and in doing so brings about the extraordinary.
God is involved in growing you spiritually, and the difficulties of life don’t take Him by surprise, but are in fact His tools to sharpen your soul. As Rick Warren puts it:
God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you’re tempted to express the exact opposite quality. Character development always involves a choice, and temptation provides that opportunity.”
That’s sure true in a job search…
When we should demonstrate patience, we’re anxious.- When we should demonstrate trust, we try to be self-reliant.
- When we should demonstrate dependence on the body of Christ for nourishment and support, we try to go on independently and in solitude.
- When we should anticipate the adventure of knowing that
God is in control and has us in His hand, we experience fear of everything crashing down on us.
How is your spiritual life during your unemployment?
Are you allowing God to use these challenges to grow you spiritually, or are you resisting? Are you being open with Christian brothers and sisters as to how you’re feeling and whether you’re doing what you need to do, or do you wrongfully feel ashamed and unwilling to share these struggles? Are you continuing in the spiritual disciplines, or do you retreat into your cave?
To read about any of the other Job Search Aspects, please click on a link below:
This is an excerpt from my book “The Christian Job Search Manual,” click on this link to purchase the book.
If you would like to explore working with a Christian centered Career Coach, Contact me for a no-obligation 60-90 minute job search consultation with America’s Job Searching Coach, or text me at 425-220-0707 and we can discuss your situation, your résumé, what you would like to achieve, and structure your job search to fit your uniqueness.
I am also available to speak to groups.
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