Mysterious, In His time, In His way
By Jeffery Taylor
During this tough economic time; I don’t think anyone wants to be unemployed for any reason. However, that’s exactly where I found myself. Not really understanding why GOD would allow such a thing to happen to me but knowing that HE has a plan and it won’t always be understood. When we pray for things, sometimes GOD has to take you to a place where HE can prepare you to receive those blessings. That place will test your FAITH, possibly down to the last moment.
After losing my job, I found myself trying to receive unemployment benefits but to no avail. After many prayers, several appeal letters and a telephone hearing, benefits were still denied. I was feeling alone in the beginning then I thought “Well, GOD knew this would be happening so why am I worried?” I didn’t have any money coming in and like many people the bills didn’t stop because I wasn’t working.
I felt GOD was going to bless me soon with a job or monetary blessings so I didn’t worry about it. Some people thought I wasn’t taking my situation seriously and others knew that I was waiting on GOD. HE sent a friend I met a couple of months before me losing the job to make sure my vehicle had a full tank of gas every time it needed it, money in my pocket almost every other week and taking me to dinner sometimes.
The next person GOD sent was someone who is a very close friend of the family and has known me since the day I was born. She blessed me by allowing me to do some work in her home that she paid me for, fed me numerous times and gave words of encouragement, character reassuring conversation and all around love.
By this time, my vehicle was getting dangerously close to being repossessed and I’m thinking “I know GOD didn’t bless me with this vehicle to have it taken away.” The next person HE sent, was someone I’ve known for seventeen years. They expressed that they needed some work done in their home just as I’d done for them in the past but this time much more was required. They were ready to get started ASAP, and so was I. LoL! I explained to them my situation with my car note and how I only had 2 days left before it would be repossessed; if I didn’t make a payment immediately. They said, “Oh, well I’ll bring you the money tomorrow.” My heart and soul were rejoicing in knowing that my FATHER takes care of HIS children. It also allowed me to understand on a personal level the meaning of the words to the old gospel song “He’s an on time GOD!”
I was blessed with a family that is extremely supportive, loving, and most of all, Christian. They have helped me my whole life and especially during this time of need, and I thank the LORD for them because they all bless me in different ways, whether it be spiritually, monetarily, or materialistically, I know it’s all out of love from GOD, their hearts and for me!
My birthday came and went without me renewing my tag because the way I saw it, the tag fee was almost as high as the car note so “Why buy a tag for a vehicle that may be repossessed if the note isn’t paid?, use that money to pay the note.” A good two months went by without me having a valid tag and I was still in prayer about the money for it because it was expensive for a tag and any monies I was blessed with would go to paying the note, until I got stopped and received a citation for expired tag. I explained to the officer my situation and the officer was kind hearted enough to put my court date out as far as possible, which would later be a blessing in disguise.
GOD sent another friend who has also known me from the time I was born and who has helped me get to the spiritual level of understanding and a closer walk with GOD that I have today. One morning, this friend tried calling me while I was praying, unable to answer my cell phone, then called on the house phone while I was showering, preparing to go to a job fair. I returned their call and they said they’d stop by before I left to give me something. To my surprise, GOD led them to bless me with the exact amount for my tag about two weeks before the court date which would remain a blessing in disguise. That same evening I took another friend somewhere and they gave me the exact amount for my emissions test. I thought, “WOW!!! When I was praying that morning about the tag and emissions money, my prayer had already been answered.”
Another friend GOD sent was one that knew me from the job I had just lost and had me in their thoughts at their new place of employment when a position became available. They spoke highly of me, I knew how to do the job because it was the same job I had just lost and one of my old supervisors from a previous employer vouched for me as well. I received a phone call about an interview, that I did exceptionally well on and before I left they instructed me to complete the physical and the drug screen. During the interview, the recruiter asked when I’d like to start and of course my answer was ASAP, but I did notify them of the court date on the same day as my first day of work. The recruiter advised me to get it handled so I wouldn’t have to wait until the next orientation which was a month away.
The next day I was praying about the job because I hadn’t heard anything and the recruiter said they were going to call me last Thursday and here it was Monday and still no answer as to whether or not I got the position. I felt like “I had done well in the interview and passed the physical and drug screen without question so what was taking so long?” I called after praying that morning to find out if there was a problem with my tests or background check and the recruiter explained that my previous employer was the highest paying employer in the state for the position and this new job didn’t really match but they were fighting to get my salary the same as it was at my previous employer, and they would be discussing it with the director over the department and they would contact me when it was done.
Two days went by while I was praying, the recruiter was deliberating and Wednesday evening I received the phone call of my life. The recruiter said I’ve been hired, my pay is being matched to that of the previous job and my paperwork is in the mail. I literally wanted to cry, tears of joy, jump up and down and scream at that moment. There was still the issue of the start date and my court date. The blessing in disguise revealed itself when I went to the information desk and the clerk tells me that “Sir, your court date is on a holiday and you can get it reset for a later date, you should receive something in the mail in a couple of weeks.” lol, Thank you JESUS!!! In the county where I live, when you receive a citation for expired tags the citation is dismissed and the fine is dropped when the new tag paperwork is presented.
GOD allowed me to lose my job in order for him to test my FAITH and to teach me that as long as I have the amount of FAITH, which was measured unto me, HE will always do what HE has promised. HE wanted me to TRUST HIM more, PRAY more, HAVE FAITH and TELL what HE has done for me. GOD had to get me to another level with him and this was his way, he took me to the desert, a place of desolation where I would have to depend on him to give me EVERYTHING I needed. The desert is the place where GOD has your full attention and he can speak to your mind, heart and soul. This is not a place to desire to be, but we all will be sent one time or another.
GOD’S way will forever be MYSTERIOUS!!! I THANK AND PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!
(And I don’t think my first and middle name mean these two verses just by coincidence.)
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
