After having been out of the country for nearly three weeks and all of that time without email or phone access, I entered back into news and data orbit wondering what had happened while I was gone. It didn’t take long to catch back up and find out who won the world series, what was happening on healthcare reform, the Fort Hood tragic deaths, etc. Of course being the work and job guys I had to check in and see what the October job loss numbers were (better but still a half-a-million losses for the month). As I dug under those numbers I saw some familiar companies who had made job cuts over the past year, again announcing reductions in their staffs. I put myself in the shoes of the employees at those companies where there have been multiple layoffs over the last couple of years and the feeling of going to work each day not knowing if another shoe will drop or not. Not knowing who to trust after having heard the message multiple times that “we believe now we have cut as deeply as we can”. After the second or third round, any of us would begin to lose trust in those speaking and leading. As I was discussing this topic with a senior HR Executive, I said to her that job security for most people has become baseball like in that they think they are only as good as their last at bat so they worry and become anxious over every day. They feel like they must be ready to be tested each and every day because someone could be evaluating them as to whether they are in or out of the next layoff. As believers we have promises and assurances that can allow us to accept this testing and the testing of our faith. God says to us that we are to put our present and future in His hands and when we are in doubt, turn that doubt over to Him. We read in James 1:12; “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Allowing our spirit to change and be influenced about the worries of our job security or the constant testing of our job performance, could well be God just checking to see where we are drawing our confidence and strength from. If we are relying on our sources to pull us through, then we succumbing to the temptation of putting our own sources we are putting our selves in front of God instead of allowing Him to be in control. He says in James that He blesses those who patiently endure. He goes on to tell us that we will receive our crown of life as our reward. If today you are right on the brink of feeling like you can’t take the testing or the “what have you done for me lately” attitude from your boss or company, step back and reflect on the verse from James and draw upon the promise of what will happen if you just can patiently endure.

Reference: James 1:12 (New Living Testament)