My Chair Is Empty - Unemployed!

Well, I find myself a member of some 13.5% of the county in which I live: unemployed! My company decided to downsize and closed our offices on Friday, August 21, 2009. This is only the second time in my life that I have ever been laid off.

The first time was traumatic! I panicked! I had not been walking with the Lord, was out of fellowship and accountability with anyone and spending what I was making. When God decided to "yank" on my rope I was not ready for it.

I decided to re institute a devotion time and decided since this was a great trial, I should start with James. While in James I discovered some ugly truth about myself:

I had become a friend of the world

I had become an enemy of God

I had consumed God's blessings on my own desires

I had robbed God

I also discovered in the many times of prayer, which often included weeping and pleading, that I really was wanting the blessings or the gifts of God rather than the giver of those blessings. That was definitely a real wake up call.

Needless to say, that after months in James and almost a year in Job I grew in my faith, my understanding of God and made some major changes in my life. The bulk of my spiritual growth has come since January 2002, and the majority of that bulk has come since February 2005.

I was not aware this lay off was coming it took all of us by surprise, well all of us except our Heavenly Father who engineered and designed it. He ordained it before He ever created this world.

I am absolutely content with this event in our lives. God is in control and God will show us the next step. I thank God for the first lay off which developed and prepared me for this go around. I know that I have many new things to learn, but thank God I don't have to learn what I did last time.

Many of you know that my heart's desire is to plant a church. I have been waiting and seeking God's heart in this matter. This could be the time. I don't yet know the place nor with whom we will begin, but should my desire be lined up with God's desire, He will show me.

I ask you to remember us in prayer in the following ways:

1. That we do not waste this period of unemployment, but that we can utilize it to the good of those around us and for the glory of God

2. That Philippians 4:4-7 continues to be a reality in our lives.

3. That God will make me sensitive to His leading in order not to miss an open door or opportunity that is from Him and that we don't run ahead of God and His timimg in some sort of panic.

4. That God will meet our financial needs in a timely, Christ honoring manner.

I will keep you posted as to the marvelous ways in which God chooses to reveal Himself to me during this period of unemployment.

Your prayers are coveted dearly!!!

In His Grip for His Glory,

Gregg Metcalf