I Am Sure God Knows What He’s Doing
By Sister Vanessa Alexander
As I get older, life as I know it has changed. I don’t have everything I want, but I am equipped with everything I need. As my birthday approaches, I reflect on my life and the choices I’ve made as it has aligned with the plans I had for myself and the plans God had for me. Being a single parent is one of the most difficult jobs anyone can have. As a mother, I am my child’s advocate, provider, shelter, food, transportation, and most importantly, a steady flow of finances coming in to maintain these amenities.
It is said that a good education rewards with a high paying solid job. Unfortunately, this did not apply to me. Throughout my tenure of employments, I’ve been blessed with jobs that accommodated my parenting lifestyle but never jobs that paid higher salaries. Over the years, I have gotten jobs with flexibility. Although it was not a great financial reward, I felt a sense of security or assurance for my children that they’d be taken care of. Indeed, Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Unemployment is a word that people dread to hear. This word is often synonymous with words like financially unstable, lacking in finances or just plain broke. As a single mother, unemployment is not a word that you want to hear. It creates fear and worry for you and your children. However, as always, there is a silver lining. Being unemployed has taught me incredible lessons that I would have never learned if I had been working the regular forty-hour job. Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.”
God has truly continued to bless me and my family day in and day out for the past eight and a half months of unemployment. I’ve learned during this time of my struggle that this is the time that I need to praise Him more. I need to continually thank Him and meet Him in His house. I need to call on Him when I need Him, always pray and ask Him for what I need, and expect to receive it. Psalm 16:8 reminds me, “I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”
God has been good to me – and I am not talking about materialistic possessions – I have the opportunity to know God and to have a relationship with Him. I am fortunate to be able to talk to Him when the trials of life seems to take hold of me and the only thing I can do is cry out to Him because I know He’ll listen. I am comforted by Psalm 72:12 which says, “for he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.”
God has a plan for me. He has secured all areas of my life and although the plans I had have changed, as far as me having a secure job, I know God has my life in His hands. He has my future planned, and I confess God’s promises on my life. Psalm 84:11 tell us, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” I have faith that God will provide a job to me in due time, I just need to wait and continue to pray, praise, and give Him the glory that He deserves.