and the One who walks with me on it.

Saturday, December 07, 2013

Unemployed



        For 3½ years my husband was laid off.  Despite the fact we had some income (thanks to God and the union), for a while it wasn’t enough to cover our bills and due to medical reasons I couldn’t work.  We couldn’t afford to fix the house or cars, had to watch every dollar spent, tightened up on food.  Clothes weren’t purchased, food was cut back, wants were ignored.  Christmas/ birthday present limits were laughable, and it made me sad to always have to say ‘no’ to the kids even when what they wanted only cost a dollar.  But we survived…

       I can’t imagine the lives of people who suffered more loss than us in the economic downturn: homes, families torn apart, medical crises and no money to pay for healthcare.  In other parts of the world there were natural disasters of great magnitude, lives lost, countries lost infrastructure, contaminated drinking water, etc.  Life is tough.  It is weird though how when people here go on mission trips in some of these devastated countries, they return saying how the people there are so happy.  Perspective on what’s important I guess…

Though the fig tree shall not blossom, and fruit is not on the vines; the work of the olive fails, and the fields make no food; the flock is cut off from the fold, and no herd is in the stalls, yet I will exult in Jehovah; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. Jehovah the Lord is my might, and He sets my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk on my high places. To the chief singer, on my stringed instruments. Hb. 3:17-19 LITV

       Here, Habakkuk sings a prayer about God.  These verses start out in a way that should make one miserable.  Trees not able to produce fruit, no grapes/ wine, no olives or oil, no food in the fields, no flocks or herds… these are devastating losses to a people, yet Habakkuk doesn’t see just the misery.  He rises above it to see His God, and who He is.  ‘Yet I will exult/ jump for joy/ triumph in Jehovah’.  ‘I will rejoice/ spin around/ be glad in the God of my salvation/ liberty/ deliverance/ rescue/ victory.’

       Seems like Habakkuk is quite content and full of joy, in the Lord.  He sees His God still in control and powerful (in earlier verses) so he rejoices in God who is able to deliver and bring victory.  Not only is God his might and strength, but God will make him overcome the challenges affecting him or worrying him with strength, agility, and success.  Is it possible for us to be this way, so focused on God we overcome at least mentally the same way?

       Those people in devastated countries can attest, but so can I.  The longer I am with Christ, the more I learn about surrender and focus on Him first and the more I keep my eyes on Him.  Really, I didn’t worry or fear while going through the lay off.  Only occasionally was it sad to see my kids go without, but I could also see it build a different kind of strength in us as well.  And though we should have been in the deep valley, He made us walk in the hills above the problems, dancing lightly over the troubles of life.  There is no better God able to deliver His people.  Blessed be His name!!!