How To Overcome Your Fear Of A Job Search

When Elijah heard this,
he was afraid and ran for his life,
taking his servant with him.
I Kings 19:3

Does your job search frighten you? Why…what are you afraid of? The interview? Not being able to answer the questions correctly? Being rejected? Compare your fear to Elijah’s…

Elijah was in pain: emotionally, relationally, physically, spiritually. He had a contract on his head and Jezebel sought to have him killed because of his opposition to their endeavors and his defeat of the prophets of Baal. So he ran. This mighty prophet headed for the hills at the first sight of trouble, possibly while still delirious from God’s demonstration of power over Baal.

Here he was–hiding in caves, hiking in the wilderness, climbing mountains–searching for God in his distress. And what did Elijah expect God would do? He expected a God-like response in an earthquake, tornado, or firestorm. (What that would have told him is beyond me.) But God didn’t get Elijah’s attention that way.

Instead, God spoke in a most un-God-like way. He whispered. We don’t expect God to whisper. We want clarity. We want distinctiveness. We want the bottom-line. But God is so much more subtle.

How will you receive an answer?

What do you expect from God in your job search, and how do you expect Him to present it?

C.S. Lewis put it this way in his book, The Problem of Pain, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

You know why God is so subtle? I think it’s because what we are seeking and what God wants are often two different things. We want answers; God wants trust. We want specifics; Where should we look for a job, who should we talk to, will we be denied?  We want a plan; God wants trust.

Trust and Faith

Trust, the essence of faith. When you can’t see what’s ahead, you have to have faith; you have to trust. When you can’t figure out the specifics of what to do, you have to have faith; you have to trust.

This is really quite freeing, because it’s not just one road that will get you where you are to be. It’s not just one action on your part that will make things come out right. God can use whatever road you take, whatever action you take to “…work together for good…”

So don’t worry. Step out. Get moving. Listen, give. Watch, of course. But trust, absolutely! Nothing will stop Him!

Oh Master Communicator, it’s not important that I see where it all leads, but it’s important that I trust.  Help me rest in You.

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.