Tuesday, June 14, 2011

God is at Work

Recently my husband and I were at the Colony Reunion at America's Keswick. What a wonderful weekend!! We enjoyed great teaching from Dr. Tuttle of Walk Through the Bible Ministries, we had fun renewing friendships and we had beautiful weather. However, a few days before we went I was notified that I was fired from my job. I was not told that there was a reduction in staff or that the services I provided were being privatized. I was told that I was not getting along with administration and staff and had to be let go. They felt they could do better. I was shocked and dumb founded. When I asked who had a problem with me, as I had not a clue, my evaluator told me that he was not at liberty to tell me. Of course I could request "a hearing" and all would be revealed. A hearing.......yikes........who could I have possibly offended and what on earth did I do? I honestly had no idea.

Needless to say, I needed to go to America's Keswick. I don't think I shared those details with anyone over the weekend but I did ask for prayer as I had lost my job. God was at work.

Exactly one day before I was fired I had begun to fill out an application for an opening I saw that is closer to home. I prayed and asked God to make it clear if He would release me from my present place of employment to pursue another place. WOW, did I get my answer. Although I kept telling myself God knows all, He has a plan, I put my trust in Him.......a battle was raging in my mind. I could not sleep. Who did I offend? What did I do? There was that time I could have spoken with more compassion to...........and then there was that time.............you can surely fill in the blanks. Francis Frangipane says, "Negative experiences can drain faith from your heart. You lose the anticipation and power of faith and a spiritual paralysis immobilizes your soul." That is what was happening in me. But God was at work.

During the weekend we had about 5 minutes of rain. After the rain a double rainbow appeared in the sky. Not one rainbow but two. God knows I love rainbows. Did He do that for me?? Well, I am sure it wasn't just for me, but I am also sure it was for me. I smiled to myself and said, "Your promises are yes and amen. You have a future and hope for me." Proverb 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." Hope deferred can cripple our walk with God. No, I will not lose hope. I will walk in FAITH. Yes, God was at work.

Our speaker spent some time speaking about our Goliath. We have a choice to respond as David did with FAITH or as Saul did with FEAR. He advised us to find a stone, carry it and remember to defeat our Goliath. I thought I had rid myself of fear and hope deferred. We have been through addiction, cancer, job losses etc., etc. I know God is faithful. God was still at work.

I came home and while reading I learned that Goliath had a brother and sons. YIKES!! "Now when the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David went down and his servants with him; and as they fought against the Philistines, David became weary. The Ishbi-benob, who was among the descendants of the giant....intended to kill David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him." 2 Sam. 21:15-17 Ok, I did kill Goliath and now I have the opportunity to kill his descendants. I shall respond by FAITH, not by sight, not with fear, not without hope. My whole countenance changed. I went to work ready to do the best work ever until my last day. I went with a smile on my face. I slept that night. God is at work.

As the week unfolded, every day more and more people were fired. With every one it was the same story. They had never had a bad evaluation, until this last one. The accusation could not be confirmed except for one........a girl was given a negative evaluation for having taken too many sick days. She did and she too was fired. The district knew she would be out and using her sick days as she donated her kidney to her bother. How could they do such a thing? They even fired a young man who just lost everything he owned in a fire. The list and the stories go on and on. Every one was up for tenure. For every one, tenure was denied. And so.....every day someone came to me with their story, their tears and fears. Every day I was blessed to minister life. I am giving out Bibles, prayer and words of encouragement. I am even planning a party for our first day unemployed..........July 1. God is at work.

Once again God has shown me, no matter what the circumstances, I can trust in Him. By His grace I can rise above the circumstances and be a blessing in the midst while waiting for Him to show me the way. Praise God who continues a good work in you and me until the day of Christ Jesus.

Perhaps you are finding yourself under the circumstances of your life and would like to join me in the following prayer, part of which was written by Francis Frangipane:
"Father, I come to you as Your servant. Like David, I have become weary fighting an enemy I thought I defeated. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, and in the mighty name of Jesus, I rebuke the enemies of doubt, fear and unbelief. I ask You, Lord, to cause faith to arise and the enemies of my soul to be shattered, for you are the Lord of Hosts. By your grace, show me the way to glorify you and rise above the circumstances of my life. By your grace, may I have eyes to see and a heart to receive the fullness of the future and the hope filled plan you have for my life. In the name of Jesus who is the lover of my soul I pray, Amen."

Pat Wenzel
WOC Graduate

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:2-6
2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.
4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

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