“With God the job is not the goal… It’s the moments in the ‘going’. Not what you’re trying to get to, but the treasure is in your time spent with Him.” Tracy McCarthy
For the first two weeks in January, God daily reminded me through Bible verses, devotions, encouraging friends, and songs on the radio that He had this – all I had to do was continue to obey Him. I fasted for three days before forming a plan, surrendering completely to His will. I was willing to change careers, work outside the home if necessary – my life (including my income) was His and all I wanted was His marching orders. I had two requests for God: That the new income I received would pay the bills with a cushion and that I would have a schedule that would allow me to be the wife and mother I desire to be. When I asked God what He wanted me to do, though, I was met with silence. The answer I kept hearing was, “Wait.”
Waiting is normally hard for me, but with the deadline of no paycheck looming, it was even more difficult. The second week I started applying for jobs – some in a field that I really enjoyed and others that would just be a paycheck. I began to get discouraged as the doors remained closed. The next message I thought I heard from God was altered slightly but with the same underlying statement, “You can waste your time applying for all these jobs if you want, but I told you I would take care of you. It’s coming. Be patient.” I could envision a loving smile on His face, allowing me to run myself ragged if I chose, but He was offering me something better. A chance to work hard on my current assignments while He took care of the solution to my income.
By about the third week of not hearing a specific message or seeing any results to job hunting, I started to get discouraged…really discouraged. I continued praying, I considered “works” – “if I just do this or that maybe God will produce the miracle that our family needs,” etc., all while knowing in my heart that wasn’t the answer but allowing the worry that had started to take root to produce panic.
That’s when our pastor’s wife, Tracy McCarthy, reminded me of the truth I already knew. The end result, a job (source of income), really isn’t what God’s concerned about. He cares more about the journey and the way I react while in it as well as my relationship with Him. Ouch. I wasn’t responding very well. She also reminded me (as well as a trusted family member on the same day) that God wants my honesty. He already knows how I’m feeling and what I’m thinking – He just wants me to bring it to Him so He can talk to me about it.
I’ve admitted above how I was doing it wrong…come back next time to hear what happened when I got back on track.
© Cheri Swalwell 2015