My husband, Ken, has been unemployed for more than 16 months. We are so frustrated as we attempt to keep our heads above water with paying bills, buying groceries, and more importantly, paying for diabetic medication required to stay alive. We have been challenged to creatively negotiate with creditors, insurance companies, pharmacies, and doctors and we are convinced that eventually–perhaps in our retirement years–we will write a book on “working the systems to avoid drowning.”
Yesterday was an interesting day. I had utilized my last thread of creativity. I could think no more about who to talk to about what; about negotiating with the insurance company; about “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” So I simply disappeared to a favorite place of solitude with a cup of tea and said to the heavens, “Hello, God, can you hear me now?” I simply asked Him if He could please, please help Ken find a job–today. That was the end of my prayer; nothing more, because there was no more to say.
When I got home, Ken told me he had received a phone call from some company–didn’t know the name–who offered him an interview this week. When I asked him for more information, he didn’t have any to offer. It was weird to say the least, but he’s going to go. I was frustrated with the lack of information–what is it about men?–but he said he should go. After dinner last night, Ken received a second phone call from another company that saw his resume and wants to interview him. It was not a human on the phone, so no chance to ask questions. Ken was instructed to leave his phone number if he was interested in receiving a second phone call with more information. How sad that business these days apparently doesn’t require the use of human beings–thus, Ken’s situation of unemployment.
All of this to say, God taught me a lesson yesterday. In our moments of doubt on whether or not God took a vacation from our lives–the answer remains an emphatic no! God has promised us, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” (Hebrews 13:5) but I, for one, in my darkest hours, am generally so focused on what I am going to do about it that I forget to make enough space in my thoughts for God to show me what He is going to do about it. So when you feel like asking God, “Can you hear me now?” don’t ever forget Hebrews 13:5–[God] will never leave you nor forsake you. Yes…He can hear you now…and forever.
