The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading PlanSample

This Is for My Good?

“It just can’t get any worse.”

How many times have you caught yourself saying this during your career transition? For me, it has been more times than I care to admit. And if I’m completely candid, my very next line is usually, “How much more, Lord? How much longer must I wait for a breakthrough?”

I often wonder why the Lord doesn’t just reveal to me exactly where he wants me to be. He has the power to do anything and everything, right? So why can’t he just show me? Maybe the reason for this mystery is so that we will turn to him.

After all, what do we need the Lord for if we already know what will happen?

I, for one, find myself neglecting my Bible reading and prayer time when my career journey is humming along on all cylinders. I simply don’t spend time with the Lord every day as I should. When things are hitting bottom, however, I guarantee that I will seek the Lord’s presence. Now the reason I seek God might be to blame him for my circumstances. I might cry out, “If you love me, why did I lose my job?” or “How much longer must I wait until I can provide for my family again?”. . .

Do you know what’s great about all of this?

God already knows what you and I are feeling! The Lord knows me better than I know myself. He knew, before I was even conceived, that this painful season of my life was going to take place; he knew exactly what was going to happen to me and exactly how I was going to react. He also knew that unless I fell upon the worst of circumstances I would not grow closer to him.

Let me put it to you this way. Have you noticed the times when you are closest to the Lord? Isn’t it when all else has failed and you are driven to cry out to your loving heavenly Father? Now imagine if those tough times had not occurred.

Your relationship with him might be less intimate than it is today. That’s why we are in the best position to grow closer to God when we are experiencing the perceived worst of circumstances.

He does know what is best for each one of us. Sometimes he just needs to get our attention so he is able to bless us beyond our greatest expectations. Why not give the Lord your fullest attention today by setting aside the job search for a while and spending some uninterrupted time with him? Just listen. Be still. And if the message doesn’t come through today, he may be saying, “Not yet. There is more I want to show you.”

If that’s his message, why not invest more time with him again tomorrow? Why? Because some things are more important than a job — like intimacy with the One who holds your life in his capable hands.

Taken from Why Did I Lose My Job if God Loves Me?