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As many know, I am currently unemployed. I’ve had an extremely hard time finding a job, and naturally, no job means no money. However, the unexpected blessing of it all is that I’ve got to see the Lord’s work in my and others’ lives. It’s a blessing I wouldn’t trade for every job in the world.

Trials force us into extreme dependence. People will go one of two ways: bitter and angry with God, hating him for what he has or hasn’t done, or humble and broken, knowing that there is no way to survive apart from the grace of the Lord. I pray for a heart that is the latter, but I certainly have my days.

One of the biggest blessings, and one that I don’t think I fully expected, is the generosity and blessing of the fellowship of believers. I have been given gift cards, free meals, and even a place to stay. I deserve none of it. And yet I the Lord continues to pour blessing upon blessing through those around me. What a privilege it is to see the mercy of God at work through the hearts of other people!

Another huge opportunity is the blessing of talking with others. Inevitably the subject of my trial comes up often, and by God’s grace I’ve been given so many opportunities to proclaim his faithfulness and provision. I’m not the only one who gets to taste and see that the Lord is good.

And the Lord is good. He says he will provide, and he does. I don’t know where, when, or how, but I know that the Lord’s faithfulness is proven time and time again through the heavy hand of trials. And in a place where I don’t know where my next check will come from, I have never felt the hand of the Lord so close or working so much. If this is what it takes to grow my heart closer to the Lord, then may I lose my job every day.

“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” Psalm 34:1

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