Unexpected Turn of Employment

Kendrik

Kendrik

Moderator
Staff member
It's no secret to my close friends that I was struggling with my job. It was a two hour commute (each way) for just above minimum wage in a position that I poured myself into but really didn't suit me. Been praying for a change of career, but trying to be on board with being faithful there until God put me somewhere else.

Today, I found out that I was being let go.

Had some absences due to sickness. Worked my butt off for the company, and they were well aware of this, but policy took me down all the same. Turns out I should have been out of luck nearly two months ago, but the points that did me in were suspended while they tried to see if I could be given grace on account of the Federal Medical Leave Act. That didn't pan out; getting denied went through the office, and I was out.

Fortunately, God saw to it that my bills are paid for the coming month, so I'm not out of luck in three days. Do need to get a new job ASAP, though.

And thus, I ask for y'all to be praying that I find one. I had applied to a couple of jobs before going into work, and I'm about to apply for a few more now. I'm actually excited to see where God takes me.

Still, prayers not just for a new job but for peace of mind (at this point, at least as much for my fiancee as myself) would be muchly appreciated. :D
 
Sorry they had to gig you on technicalities like that. At least you got the extra time. I can sympathize with you somewhat, when I was teaching, I taught at one of the local schools for twelve years taking as many classes as they would give me and even picking up other people's messes (I picked up one class when the tenure track teacher who was supposed to teach it, dropped it the weekend before the semester began). It's hard to put your life blood into a place only to get canned like that.

Will be praying for you. Keep your eyes open. I used this line in a sermon recently "God has a way to taking us off our track and putting us on His track." Your next opportunity might come from an unexpected direction.
 
My flesh wants to answer, "Your average company will bleed you dry and toss you aside, so manage your priorities accordingly," but Scripture teaches us that when we work, we're working for the Lord and must act accordingly if we hope to glorify His name.

Praying for peace of mind and trusting that God has something in mind where He can use you to advance His kingdom.
 
Thanks for the prayers and encouragements. I've been applying all over the place, and I know God's gonna take care of this; I just gotta do my part.
 
I have gotten two calls so far today for setting up interviews. Nothing particularly glamorous, but I'm still very glad for getting interviews. Have one tomorrow morning and one Friday evening. So stoked. Thanks for the prayers. Here's to hoping one of them pans out, even if they're just jobs that keep bills paid while looking for something better/more suited toward my career/calling goals. :)
 
So! Pending background check (which is no doubt squeaky clean), I've got a job at a local grocer. As in a ten minute drive or twenty minute walk+bus. Basically what I was doing before, but much much closer, which is much much better.

Won't be until the 15th that I get orientation, though, so this month is... not looking good financially. God's got me covered, no doubts there, but prayers for ends meeting this month by way of odd jobs or whatever else would be great. Thanks! :D
 
Praying! It'll be awesome if this pans out! Closer like that is kinda like a raise in a way. Please keep us posted. :D
 
With fuel hovering around 3.50 USD a gallon, at least around here, I agree with Ember it is a raise to be closer to work. Will keep praying.
 
Hey guys,

I'm writing to request your prayers. I'm struggling a lot right now. I lost my job (which was pretty sucky on the whole, but it paid the bills when I first moved back to Portland, so God was good in providing it) and quickly got another job doing the same thing, but higher demands. I've been there a few weeks, but I'm heavily burdened by it.

I feel I know my core callings very well now: Be a good husband and care for my soon-to-be-wife, be a good student on my way to becoming a good teacher, and be in ministry.

This job lets me financially take care of Trish (at least to a good degree; she'll still have to work for us to make all ends meet, but she won't have to carry the bulk of the load), but it is going to make it incredibly hard to really be on the ball with the other callings.

I barely passed some classes last semester, and that was incredibly painful. Very much not feeling like I was living up to my calling. The job I had was a definite part of that, though it was also my fault plain and simple. This new job isn't going to make that any easier. Already, I'm probably dropping down to part time status (six credits), and thus further slowing my academic progression, because of the wedding, but I can't stand the thought of simply passing classes again this semester. I don't find that to be a good stewardship of my calling or opportunity. And it's even hard to feel like that will be the case because I'm so caught up in making ends meet by way of a job that is so unfitting for me that it's more taxing than it ought to be.

Now, I plainly admit that I really don't like my job. It's true. I whine too much about it, I'm sure. Also, I know a lot of you have to work harder than I do, have a family, and still manage to succeed. So, perhaps I just need to be thumped upside the head and given a "toughen up" speech. But the problem is that I have no peace.

In the short time I was unemployed (a week from the day I found out I was let go, I was interviewed and offered the job pending background checks), I had total peace. I knew God would take care of things even if I didn't know how, and He has. Now, however, I feel convicted over lack of faith resulting in diminished ability to be faithful in my calling.

My job has no guaranteed consistency of scheduling (though my manager is making it a priority for me to have Sundays off, that is not totally sacred), and if I'm working 40 hours a week, that means I can't commit to anything that requires a schedule. That's bad. Trish and I talk about how much the church can use me, and I know that ministry is more than just two hours on Sunday. Even with just Sundays, I need to consistently have Tuesday night off for worship practice, for example, but I won't consistently get that. An existing ministry commitment that I can't guarantee to keep because I'm working. I'm hoping to start preaching in the fall, but when will I have time to prepare for that as things are now? I barely got a four song set together for this weekend, and I haven't had time to practice nearly enough, let alone plan my in-between-words or anything.

What about getting involved in men's ministry? What about other possible ministries? What about deacon ministries? Those are things I think to be part of my calling to ministry, and I don't feel like I can do any of it if I'm too concerned with making ends meet to pursue them.

Like I said: I feel convicted over keeping this job past the summer. On the one hand, God is the reason I got this job; on the other hand, He didn't specify how long to keep it, so maybe I'm supposed to keep it for an indefinite period of time, or maybe I'm supposed to keep it until classes start and financial aid kicks in. I'm not sure. I'm just sure that I lack peace and need it, either peace that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be or conviction and faith to get where He wants for His peace.

So, if you have thoughts, I would love to hear them, even if you worry they may be harsh. I very, very much would appreciate your prayers, though. Trish and I very much need them as we figure out what to do in the coming months.

Thanks, friends. :)
-Kenny
 
Last edited:
My life is odd so I can't really give advice but I am certain more than a handful of people here have been through similar experiences. Juggling school, work, relationships and last, but not ever least, God, are themes I've seen so you aren't alone. I'm pulling praying for you Kendrik :) .
 
Last edited:
That's always the best thing, Gerbil. :)

I posted here when I sent that same message to some close friends and people I really respect for their wisdom. I need both from everyone around me: Wisdom and prayers. And I need discernment and peace from God, whatever it is He deems is for me in the present. :D
 
Hi there, no real advice here, just wanted to let you know I'm praying for you. And I feel like I understand at least a little bit. I am one of those with a job and a family and I definitely DON'T feel like I can do it all to the level I want to a LOT of the time. It will make a person feel weary for sure.

Now this is just my opinion, but if you're trying to pull a 40 hour work week PLUS a full, full-time course load, just those two alone are just too much--I think. You can't just not go to work, so school will almost certainly suffer. You hear the odd story here and there about people doing it, so maybe I shouldn't say anything. But add in a fiancee and church/ministry...of course you'll feel in over your head. I don't say these things to discourage you. More to reinforce that feeling overwhelmed doesn't mean there's something wrong with you and your abilities. Thankful to God that it is your conviction to do all things to the best of your ability. If you were to cut back to half time school, would you lose any financial aid? I'm guessing that your new work won't allow you to cut back your hours? Is there ANY possibility to keep your eyes peeled for something else while this gets you by in the meantime? (looking for a job with all that free time you have...haha I know) I guess that was a lot of rambling for someone who said she didn't have much anything to say, haha. But really I will be praying that God will make a way in your circumstances or that you'll have discernment for the next step.
 
Last edited:
I think the fact that you're uncomfortable not giving God more shows you may--as odd as it may sound--be exactly where you need to be for this moment. I think there's a common assumption among Christians--myself included--that God will move heaven and earth to have you serve Him, but Scripture doesn't bear that out as you might expect. David wanted to build the temple. God said no. Jeremiah lamented that his service to God had isolated him from his peers. God didn't let Him go and I don't recall evidence in Scripture that God brought Jeremiah to a local Bible study with a fantastic singles ministry. Paul wanted desperately to go to Rome as quickly as possible and ended up shipwrecked on Malta. The list goes on.

The prophets and the apostles served God through some really terrible circumstances and we're setting ourselves up for massive disappointment if we think God suddenly changed His methods after A.D. 300. This isn't so much to say, "Suck it up," but rather, "Don't assume that discomfort means you're doing something wrong."

If and when God gives you the command to quit your job, you'll have endured the pressure and you'll be that much more confident it was the right move. I quit 2 jobs because they were a bad fit for me and my family, but I only quit after I found something better. Looking for a job when you're already working 40 hours is horrible. But unless you feel impressed that God has a specific mandate keeping you where you are, I don't see any issue with praying that the Lord would lead you and then, if you receive peace or silence in response, proceeding to shotgun your resume out to every organization that might hire you. I did it. It worked out pretty well for me. It may not work out the same for you. It may work out even better. God isn't obligated to work in a specific way because He's sovereign.

But even if it's His desire to keep you in your current position for another year, He will sustain you. Not ministry, not the church, not even your wife. He may choose to sustain you in part through any or all of those means, but He is ultimately your source. If God's grace was sufficient for whatever terrible affliction Paul suffered (and if it was important for us to know what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was, it would be in the Bible--and it's not), it's sufficient for you, even when it really, really doesn't feel like it.

Side note: Paul endured some terrible physical ailment WHILE God was healing scores of people through Paul's ministry. God shone His healing power through Paul so strongly that even handkerchiefs he touched were used to heal people--because that's how God chose to work in that space and time to advance His kingdom (and not some televangelist's budget for a private jet). God is under no obligation to work the same way again.

You want to serve the living God and He's not one to turn willing workers away. He may have you doing something you didn't expect, but chances are really good He'll put you to work.

One more thing: I think it's important to knock down the wall between ministry and THE ministry in this context. If God is specifically calling you to full-time ministry, then you better obey or you're going to really suffer for it (and not the kind of suffering that has eternal rewards that follow). But if you're not specifically called to preach, then do not, under any circumstances, assume that position for yourself. No one in their right mind would take on the role of pastor unless God clearly called them to the task. (I'm not saying that everyone behind a pulpit is called, but rather that some are not in their right mind.)

Having spent time close to the inner workings of a church before, I know it's easy to compartmentalize and say: Leading worship is 5-stars legit service to God, but taking a friend who's just suffered a terrible loss out for pizza and just listening to them ramble is time better spent preparing a sermon.

Continue to wrestle with the tension. Keep struggling. Some seasons in life are, well, just awful. But if you truly are called to full-time ministry--and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if you were, but it's not my call to make--then God may take you through some terrible things (1) to teach you to depend on Him and (2) prepare you to truly empathize with those who look to you for spiritual leadership.

Keep praying. Keep working. Keep reading Scripture. And don't assume that you have to say "Yes" to every request from the local church to please God. Jesus walked away from crowds eager to hear more because He needed to rest. He had opportunities to stay in towns for extended periods to elaborate on His message but instead He moved on. He deliberately taught difficult messages to weed out the people who were chasing after Him just for their own entertainment or needs. Any of that behavior would shock most modern local churches, but He did it because He understood His mission and, more importantly, listened to His Father. We are called to follow His example.

Keep your head up. We're praying for you. We're here for you, as best as we're able. Feel free to vent any time, knowing we all face similar struggles as fellow believers.

And most importantly, keep your eyes fixed on Christ.
 
Last edited:
Wow, Tek. Really appreciate the time and thought you put into that, especially when I know how limited either resource can be for you. :) I will certainly take these comments--and Ember's, too--to heart and continue praying. Much appreciation. <3
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top