I was thinking yesterday how truly blessed I am and about the lessons I've learned in the five months that I've been out of work, by the world's standards.
I remember some time ago while talking with a former co-worker about a mutual friend that I could not understand why this friend who was/is a single mother was always giving this co-worker money although she was married. one of the things I would say is "you have a husband, why is she giving to you when she is single and struggling herself?". this co-worker said the same thing and that she would turn down the money often because she knew our friend needed it more than she did.
one of the things that my reflections showed me yesterday is that when I was not married, I would not borrow money. I felt if I didn't have it, I didn't have it and whatever I was trying to buy or pay would have to wait. now I am married and when we had two incomes coming in we borrowed money at least three times, one of those times was when I made a considerable amount more than I did when we first married. that bothered me because we had two incomes coming in and if we couldn't make it work with that then we didn't need to buy or pay whatever it was we were borrowing the money for and something bigger was wrong in our finances.
fast forward to today, still married, but now unemployed. my husband makes only a few pennies more than what he did two years ago because his employer doesn't believe in giving true raises. during this time we have not once needed to borrow money, we have had people offer to lend us money because they realize what a hardship this is, but we have not asked for any money. our rent is still paid, may have been late a couple of times. we still have food to eat everyday, may not be what we really want but we eat. we still have our vehicle although we have not paid a full car note in five months. some may ask how is this possible but there is no doubt in my mind at all.
the only way we are still above water, the only reason that we still have the necessities, luxuries and amenities that we have is because we are solely relying on our true source for all and everything we need. we are relying on God to make all of this happen. we look to Him for everything and I personally thank Him for this time because it is showing us so much about who He is in general and who He is to us personally. I thank Him for what He is about to do in our lives because I know that at the end of this journey, at the end of this struggle that I have to honestly say does not always feel like a struggle, He has a blessing for us. there is a blessing in the lesson.
He is our provider, our healer, our counselor, our way maker and with Him we can/I can make it through to the end of this situation and walk faithfully into the blessing awaiting me.
The words that I can hang on to and trust are in Matthew 6:25-34 KJV therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment? 26 behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. are ye not much better than they? 27 which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 and why take ye thought for raiment? consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon is all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, oh ye of little faith? 31 therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 for after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 but seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
peace and blessings wonderful people!
jai ar
