“For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. . . . This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil” (NKJV).
Life is crazy right now for teachers (of which I’m one). For many, there are no jobs next year. Tenure and unionization is out the windows. Even good teaching is out the window. People are being chosen to stay based on their place on a list, nothing more. And for the rest of us . . . we have to wonder how long the hammer will be stayed before it falls for us. Will next year bring joblessness and fear? It’s so very sad that professionals who have spent many years becoming skilled at what they do are thrown away like so much trash without a thought on how it will affect the children we are called to teach.
It’s craziness.
In the midst of the craziness, there is only one sanity–that God will remain faithful when those around us are faithless. And that the focus of our lives needn’t be what we earn or how successful our careers appear to be. The focus of our lives needs to be our work and our labor of love in His name as we minister to the saints and those around us. In the midst of this craziness, it’s up to us, as believers, to stand firm in God’s promise that He has already provided for us. “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NKJV). What’s marvelous about this promise is the ALL things. It’s not just what we do good or what others do good. It’s everything, even the craziness, that He is working together for our good. Our part of that promise is to love Him which includes trusting Him, even in the darkness.
I sat yesterday with a dear friend, crying with her and holding her hand, as she sought to find some sanity among the craziness. It’s difficult not to panic when everything that looks good begins to fade. As Christians, we need to continually believe that what we see may not be what we think it is, that the “good” in this world is nothing compared to the love of our Savior and His plans for us. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,; says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11 Liv). His plans are always for good, for a future and a hope! We need to trust Him through this, even through the painful, difficult times. God’s plans are going to take us to the best solution of all because of His love for us. And what better time to demonstrate His love to the world than amidst the craziness of these times?
© 2010 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.
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