P.U.S.H

Pray Until Something Happens.But-know when it does!
I heard this story a while ago, and it always makes me laugh;

While out to sea, a large boat became shipwrecked and there was only a single survivor. This man prayed and asked God to save his life. Soon thereafter, another boat came by and offered the man some help.

"No thanks," he said. "I'm waiting for God to save me."

The men on the boat shrugged their shoulders and continued. As the man became more deeply concerned, another boat came by. Again, the people aboard offered this man some help, and again he politely decline. "I'm waiting for God to save me," he said again.

After some time, the man began to lose his faith, and soon after that he died. Upon reaching Heaven, he had a chance to speak with God briefly.

"Why did you let me die? Why didn't you answer my prayers?"

"Dummy, I sent you two boats!" 

 So often, we are like the drowning man.  We are in a perilous situation, we pray for help, and it arrives, but now how we think it will, so we ignore it and let it pass.

I have been out to sea for a few years now, my ship is almost destroyed, and I am clinging on for dear life...
There are times when I wonder if God is punishing me or testing me. Maybe just trying to teach me a lesson.  I am not sure what that is just yet, but I am praying more and more for ....something.
Not too long ago, I had a really good job. Granted I hated my boss, and the job was beyond boring.  Yet, I did my best (although in hindsight I could have done more), and after four and half years of working for the company, I was let go.  I spent two months unemployed, living off of savings. Then I took a job, mostly because I needed a job, not because it was what I wanted.  After three months of things just not going they way I had expected, I left (there is more to that story, but not now).
The day I left my job, I went to a career fair and the next day was hired on to a law firm. I am supposed to start Monday. I would be lying if I said I am having a lot of second thoughts about it. It is not a job I necessarily want, although I am trying to figure out if it is this dang depression that is holding me back or if I really shouldn't even start.
Is it my ideal job? No. Is it a job? Yes. Is it going to pay me more than unemployment? Yes.  Will it be worth it? I don't know.

Last year in a bible study I was in, we talked about how work is a blessing.  I remember thinking then how thankful I was to have a job.  My ex husband has not worked in over three years. I don't know how he really feels about it, but I do know that if you allow yourself to get comfortable unemployed, you are more likely to stay that way.  Is that what is happening to me? Did I get comfortable? Yes it was nice to be with my kids all day over summer vacation. Even this past week with them on fall break has been fun.  But the reality is; I need a job. My boat is sinking, remember? And I cannot control everything, but I can control a few things, one being work.
I think of Proverbs 14:23 (this is the NIV translation, because it is easier to read) "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty".  All hard work brings profit.  To me, money is not important. Sadly though it is a necessary evil, but we need it to survive.

So, what do you do when you aren't enjoying your job?  That is what I think is killing me, because it is not what I want to do.  In Ecclesiastes 3:22 it is said  "So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them" , and John 6:27 says "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval". Shouldn't I wait to find a job that will bring me joy and serve God? But what do I do in the meantime? 1 Corinthians 4:12 tells us "We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it"...in lamer terms, it is still a blessing to work. 

When I think about the interview I had (and when I was at the career fair), clearly they saw something in me. The man who hired me told me at the interview that he wanted to hire me the day before, but I needed to do a formal interview. Obviously, I have what it takes. I just can't psych myself out about it.  I need to remember that God is on my side, and He brought me to this door...now I need to open it and step through it with confidence.it is a blessing to work.

  It may not be the door I wanted open right now, but I do not know what God has planned for me for later on, and this may just be a place of in between while I finish my degrees.  

Back to my sinking ship and God sending help.  I am in a position where I need to move probably by the end of this month (seriously, when it rains, it POURS).  I have been put in contact with a lady who is renting out a house in a town nearby.  It again, is not ideally close to where I am now (which is near my kids schools), but it is a house...not an apartment. Again, I think this is God sending me help, I just need to stop being scared and take the blessing. The landlord is working so much with me, it is not really that far from where I live now, and it is a good area.  My hesitation is my own, and I think, I should move first and then start working, but then I think "how am I going to pay for this?" and again, God is working, not me. I just need to take the blessing...
Take the blessing.
With a gracious and humble heart-take the blessing. 

For Jesus walked out to them in the storm-and that is another thing to remember. Jesus did not STOP the storm. He walked out to them in the storm. 

While out to sea, a large boat became shipwrecked and there was only a single survivor. This man prayed and asked God to save his life. Soon thereafter, another boat came by and offered the man some help.

"No thanks," he said. "I'm waiting for God to save me."

The men on the boat shrugged their shoulders and continued. As the man became more deeply concerned, another boat came by. Again, the people aboard offered this man some help, and again he politely decline. "I'm waiting for God to save me," he said again.

After some time, the man began to lose his faith, and soon after that he died. Upon reaching Heaven, he had a chance to speak with God briefly.

"Why did you let me die? Why didn't you answer my prayers?"

"Dummy, I sent you two boats!" - See more at: http://www.spiritual-short-stories.com/spiritual-short-story-101-Drowning+Man.html#sthash.FdK1iCR3.dpuf

While out to sea, a large boat became shipwrecked and there was only a single survivor. This man prayed and asked God to save his life. Soon thereafter, another boat came by and offered the man some help.

"No thanks," he said. "I'm waiting for God to save me."

The men on the boat shrugged their shoulders and continued. As the man became more deeply concerned, another boat came by. Again, the people aboard offered this man some help, and again he politely decline. "I'm waiting for God to save me," he said again.

After some time, the man began to lose his faith, and soon after that he died. Upon reaching Heaven, he had a chance to speak with God briefly.

"Why did you let me die? Why didn't you answer my prayers?"

"Dummy, I sent you two boats!" - See more at: http://www.spiritual-short-stories.com/spiritual-short-story-101-Drowning+Man.html#sthash.FdK1iCR3.dpuf

While out to sea, a large boat became shipwrecked and there was only a single survivor. This man prayed and asked God to save his life. Soon thereafter, another boat came by and offered the man some help.

"No thanks," he said. "I'm waiting for God to save me."

The men on the boat shrugged their shoulders and continued. As the man became more deeply concerned, another boat came by. Again, the people aboard offered this man some help, and again he politely decline. "I'm waiting for God to save me," he said again.

After some time, the man began to lose his faith, and soon after that he died. Upon reaching Heaven, he had a chance to speak with God briefly.

"Why did you let me die? Why didn't you answer my prayers?"

"Dummy, I sent you two boats!" - See more at: http://www.spiritual-short-stories.com/spiritual-short-story-101-Drowning+Man.html#sthash.FdK1iCR3.dpuf

While out to sea, a large boat became shipwrecked and there was only a single survivor. This man prayed and asked God to save his life. Soon thereafter, another boat came by and offered the man some help.

"No thanks," he said. "I'm waiting for God to save me."

The men on the boat shrugged their shoulders and continued. As the man became more deeply concerned, another boat came by. Again, the people aboard offered this man some help, and again he politely decline. "I'm waiting for God to save me," he said again.

After some time, the man began to lose his faith, and soon after that he died. Upon reaching Heaven, he had a chance to speak with God briefly.

"Why did you let me die? Why didn't you answer my prayers?"

"Dummy, I sent you two boats!" - See more at: http://www.spiritual-short-stories.com/spiritual-short-story-101-Drowning+Man.html#sthash.FdK1iCR3.dpuf

While out to sea, a large boat became shipwrecked and there was only a single survivor. This man prayed and asked God to save his life. Soon thereafter, another boat came by and offered the man some help.

"No thanks," he said. "I'm waiting for God to save me."

The men on the boat shrugged their shoulders and continued. As the man became more deeply concerned, another boat came by. Again, the people aboard offered this man some help, and again he politely decline. "I'm waiting for God to save me," he said again.

After some time, the man began to lose his faith, and soon after that he died. Upon reaching Heaven, he had a chance to speak with God briefly.

"Why did you let me die? Why didn't you answer my prayers?"

"Dummy, I sent you two boats!" - See more at: http://www.spiritual-short-stories.com/spiritual-short-story-101-Drowning+Man.html#sthash.FdK1iCR3.dpuf