Well, this sure is a popular topic! I can't believe how many people have read the first part of this post. I guess in today's economy it's hard not to be concerned about one's financial situation. Today we'll pick up on Part 2. If you missed Part 1 of Why God Has Not Called Me to Get a Job, I encourage you to take 5 minutes to read it here so you’ll know where I’m coming from.
Like a father showing his daughter new things she had never seen, the Lord took my hand and revealed His Truth to me. We walked together, Hand in hand. I am forever grateful that He didn’t send anyone to minister to me. He wanted me all to Himself, right by His side so I could learn from the Master himself.
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| His Word does not return void. Isaiah 55:11 |
So from Feb. thru June of 1997, I was unemployed going on one interview after another, only to hear the words “You are over qualified and basically, you can do my job”, or they would tell me I was their second choice.
Hmmm, I wonder if not getting those jobs had anything to do with the fact that before each interview I would pray, “Close this door Lord if this is not the job YOU want me to have.” Of course that's why! The Lord was protecting me AND pruning me. He had just the right job in mind for me, plus He was chipping away at my pride.
During those months I had a lot of free time on my hands so….
I dug into God’s Word. I got myself a study Bible with a commentary included in it so I could understand the Word better. I used the concordance at the back of the book although I don’t think I really understood the concept of it too well. In my mind it was kinda like a dictionary of sorts.
I did, what I call, my own Bible study for women. I looked up every passage in the Bible that had the word ‘woman’ or ‘female’ in it to find out what the Word of God had to say about it. I eventually looked up what the Word had to say about a ‘wife’. (Deep down inside my heart I had a longing to be married to a wonderful, godly man…hmmm, did that even exist?)
Here’s what I learned:
- · And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." Genesis 2:18 A helper? What? I’m not a helper, that role is so beneath me.
- · And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." Genesis 3:13 Way to go Eve! Thanks a lot.
- · To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." Genesis 3:16 Okay, so kids equate pain and my husband will rule over me?? And why would I want to sign up for this job?
- · “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:22 Ouch! I need to do what?
- · Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:24
- · Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Colossians 3:18
I was finding that the more I read God’s Word, the more I read that a wife was to submit to her husband. Just for the record, I wasn’t too fond of that idea! I didn’t submit to men.
Well, I thought, I won’t be walking down the aisle anytime soon because I was not about to submit to some idiot that might lead me off the edge of a cliff!
Then I came across the infamous Proverbs 31 passage. That was a shocker of a read. Really, ‘she makes linen garments’? I didn’t even know how to sew on a button.
- · “The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” Titus 2:3-5 Homemaker? Really Lord?
I had so much to learn and so much pride that needed to be chipped away.
So I started to connect the Biblical dots as I applied them to my life and this is what I realized:
- If I made the decision to become a Christian wife, then I was ultimately placing my life into my husband’s hands for him to lead me. Yea, well I’m not okay with that.
- I had to be obedient to my husband. That was funny. I think I chuckled a little bit when I read that verse, but then I think I got a little angry with God on that one. (No wedding bells in my future… or so I thought.)
- Then I read that I would be the maid! I didn’t know how to keep a home. I certainly didn’t know how to cook either and I wasn't about to learn!
- If I had kids, it would be painful. It would hurt when I birthed them and I was the one who was supposed to raise them. That was a scary thought!
I fully understood what the Scriptures had to say about the role of a wife so I quickly became content in my singleness stating, “I would rather remain single and serve the Lord than settle for just any man.” “If and when I say, ‘I Do’, my husband needs to be all that and then some.”
And just for the sake of it, I couldn't keep myself from reading what 'the man' had to do. What was his curse, role and responsibility? I found the verse below to be very interesting. The curse for the man was for him to toil the field, not the woman. Something I pondered, but nothing I really needed to think about since I wasn’t married.
And to the man he said, "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. Genesis 3:17
All those Scriptures were so much for me to take in. It was something I needed to learn because based on how society (Satan) pushes a woman to ‘have it all,” you know, the career, the husband, the kids, the house, etc.
I felt that I was raised to be like a man, not a woman. My desire was to be the woman that God created me to be, not who I created myself to be or who 'the world' says we, as women, should be.
Regardless of how I was raised and what I had pursued for many years, I realized that God was and still is A LOT smarter than I am. Okay Lord, I will learn to be a Godly woman. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Psalm 111:10
Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel--rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands. Now I am supposed to have a gentle and quiet spirit as well? Okay now, that is asking just way too much! And again, with the stinkin' submissive thing! Really Lord, how come you have to tell us sooo many times? (There's actually a reason why, but that will have to wait until I write my posts on Marriage.)
During this time of studying God's Word, I get a job. Not a job I wanted by the way. It was, in my opinion, a job that was beneath me. (chip, chip, chip). If I remember correctly the way it was advertised it was for a secretarial type position. I'm not getting some man his coffee, I thought. I had the job announcement and application in my car for well over a month. I wasn't interested, yet, I had exhausted all my avenues and the Lord closed all the doors. I didn't really have a choice so I applied.
I went to the first interview COMPLETELY uninterested giving short, one word answers. The Human Resources Director said, "I think you are just what we are looking for." That's nice, I thought with disgust in my heart. She had me interview with the Vice President that same day. (He would be the one I would be getting coffee for.)
As I was ushered into his office, I noticed the Bible verse plaque that was displayed on his desk. It took my breath away. I was thrilled to be around another believer, another follower of Christ. I interviewed with him. He tells me I am skilled enough to do his job. I smile, yet, I started to feel somewhat honored that he said such a kind thing to me. We spoke some more. He tells me he wants to hire me but he wants to change the position to fit my skills. Wow! I was floored.
A few days later I show up for my first day of work but just before I head inside, I am sitting in my car thanking the Lord for the job that He has given me. I cry because I am sooo humbled and honored that the Lord would have chosen me- a sinner, for a job like this. So, are you wondering what the job was for?
God chose me. The sinner, the proud me, to be a part of His work.
Did I say I was humbled and honored?
As I was ushered into his office, I noticed the Bible verse plaque that was displayed on his desk. It took my breath away. I was thrilled to be around another believer, another follower of Christ. I interviewed with him. He tells me I am skilled enough to do his job. I smile, yet, I started to feel somewhat honored that he said such a kind thing to me. We spoke some more. He tells me he wants to hire me but he wants to change the position to fit my skills. Wow! I was floored.
A few days later I show up for my first day of work but just before I head inside, I am sitting in my car thanking the Lord for the job that He has given me. I cry because I am sooo humbled and honored that the Lord would have chosen me- a sinner, for a job like this. So, are you wondering what the job was for?
· It was for a Christian organization.
· It employed believers.
· Daily staff devotions were a part of the 'work' day.
· They did community outreaches where the Gospel message was presented.
· They fed the homeless.
· Gave clothes, shoes and school supplies to needy children.
· The organization had a mission on skid row in Los Angeles.
God chose me. The sinner, the proud me, to be a part of His work.
Did I say I was humbled and honored?
With a humble heart, I gladly served my boss his coffee, (even when he told me not to because he would remind me that I wasn't his secretary.) (smile) My response to him: I am a professional servant for Christ.
I was in the process of being transformed into a Godly woman....which was a good thing because I met my husband 3 months later. (Well, that's not quite true, I met him when I was 14 years old and he was my volleyball coach; a coach I never wanted to listen/submit to.) God sure does have a sense of humor!
Join me for Part 3, where I am going to break down some Scriptures and help you apply them to your own life.
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