So what should I think Now, another job given to someone else-

[honeyflaava]

Without trials and delays, what really would be our incentive to focus on God or realise His relevance in our lives? If everything worked out just like we want it to, we would be distracted by life's daily chores, jobs, relationships etc., which in turn would cause us to believe that all those things are what life is all about. These things would in turn make us focus on ourselves as our own providers, and make it seem as if life revolves around us or other people.

Obstacles therefore force us to re-examine who are we. They remind us that we are only men and ever dependent on God. They remind us who really is in control. They remind us who really orchestrates our blessings, and that however hard we work, or however impressive our efforts, our blessings and successes are gifts from God.

After all, think back on times when the issue of 'faith in God' became most prominent in your life. Most likely when you were struggling, or disappointed, or when you were hoping or waiting on God for something you wanted. The fact that what you wanted was unavailable, or that things were not going as you wanted, most likely caused you to shift your focus from yourself as your own provider of that thing, to God as the only capable provider of what you needed. Think about it. If you had never tasted disappointment - if all your own efforts to produce a result resulted in success, and things always went your way, who would you likely credit for your success? Yourself! When would you ever have a chance to exercise faith and believe God for His promises if you've never gone without?

Delays or rejections make you realise your mortality and dependence on the immortal and powerful God.

Thank you so much for both of your posts! They have truly hit home with me, especially about the delays and rejections. I know that it's a great thing to desire to be victorious and overcome a situation/problem, but with me, that desire turns to anxiety and impatience because my victory isn't coming fast enough for me. I am one who always wants instantaneous results and answered prayers from God. When I don't receive them, I usually give up and resort to trying to figure out things on my own, instead of standing in faith. This always leads to the problem becoming worse or I end up creating another problem.

I completely agree about God closing doors in order to force to trust Him. A couple of months ago I was reading Amos 4 and God was speaking about this very thing concerning Israel:

Amos 4:6-12 (NIV)

6 "I gave you empty stomachs [c] in every city
and lack of bread in every town,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares the LORD. 7 "I also withheld rain from you
when the harvest was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town,
but withheld it from another.
One field had rain;
another had none and dried up.
8 People staggered from town to town for water
but did not get enough to drink,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares the LORD.
9 "Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,
I struck them with blight and mildew.
Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares the LORD.
10 "I sent plagues among you
as I did to Egypt.
I killed your young men with the sword,
along with your captured horses.
I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares the LORD.
11 "I overthrew some of you
as I [d] overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares the LORD.
12 "Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
and because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel."

 

[Carolina18]

Honeyflaava,

Those verses in Amos are truly a blessing. I tend to fall into the same rut as you - losing faith when results are not instantaneous. I ALWAYS feel or look a fool when God ultimately comes through for me over and above what I had initially asked for. What an awesome God.

 

[salseraaa]

MsDeeDee - thank you for posting this, as it has caused me to consider this issue more deeply.

I think unwavering faith is only achievable when the focus of your faith is on Him, rather than on what you see around you. After all, God works in ways we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 says, "now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." It is therefore much easier to waver if you're placing your hope and faith on things you can see e.g. having material desires met - because when those things on which our faith is contingent falter, our faith falters as well. This may explain why it is much easier for us to claim to have faith in God when we can see things going right. However, according to Hebrews, faith based on the ‘seen’ is not faith at all.

So, ask yourself on what your faith is actually based? On God alone as your provider and keeper, regardless of whether you get a job or not, or rather on you being able to see your desires being met? Sometimes God closes doors to help us re-examine where our faith lies – to force us to get ourselves out of the picture and shift the focus back on Him. Do you find contentment simply in knowing who He is, even when things do not go as you want them to, or is your faith reliant on you getting what you want (the things you can see)? When we begin to base our faith on the physical manifestation of our desires, it ceases to be faith.


Unwavering faith would thus be believing that even though the world is crumbling around you, and you have no job and things are not going your way (things you can see) - God will continue to provide and care for you in ways you cannot see, because He is just that powerful and faithful. That automatically re-shifts the focus of your faith away from you i.e. needing to work to fend for yourself, to God i.e. complete reliance on Him because you cannot depend on yourself.



By no means am I suggesting this to be an easy feat – it isn’t. I got this in my mailbox today and thought it timely to share with you:

JAMES 1:2-4 NJV

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

The NIV says:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

[I'm sure you've noted other posters in this thread commenting on how their rejections and closed doors led to even better opportunities, or in other words, their perseverance brought them greater reward, and they therefore do not lack anything]
​

Why are prayers not all answered instantly? Why don't we always experience the blessings promised in the Bible immediately?

If all results were instant, we could never walk in faith. Without faith, we could never please God. (Hebrews 11:6)

If you always reaped the harvest of your deeds immediately, the incentive to do right and refrain from wrongdoing would only be selfish. No faith, or love for God, would be required.

During delays we have the opportunity to demonstrate whether we really love God, and trust Him, or not.

A delay is a test. Without testing, there could be no reward. God does not test us so that we can fail, but so that we can overcome. He believes we will make it with His help.

We desire an instant manifestation of victory. God's desire is for us to press into Him and His Word and walk in faith until we see victory.

To overcome there must be opposition and struggle. God cannot always shield us from problems without taking away from us the privilege of overcoming.

Victory is sweet. What makes it sweet is that it is not easy.

If we really trust God, time is not a problem. Leave that with God. His timing is perfect and He is dependable! We know He promised, and can never fail -- and that is enough. (You see, that is faith - faith in His promise as a righteous God. That you only need His Word that He will never fail you and that is enough - you don't need physical proof to believe it.)

SAY THIS: I will persevere in faith, and the Bible says I will end up not lacking anything.



Be still and know that He is God MsDeeDee.

Gee .... and to think I first visited this forum for the purpose of growing my hair longer. I never expected to be so spiritually strengthened. The posts from all the ladies in this particular thread are so edifying! ITAWY Carolina. MsDeeDee thank you for your sharing your original post and starting this thread , as it's been used to bless so many readers. I'm really looking forward to the posts when you ladies share the beautiful testimonies of how God has blessed you and met your needs. We are all standing in prayer and agreement with you and waiting to celebrate God as He manifests your blessings!

 

[chicacanella]

Thank you FireCracker
God is so Good!
My oldest brother was telling me this on Sunday and my Second youngest brother Was telling me the exact same thing. I was fighting them tooth and nail however, that is so true. I told my brothers what you just said and they were like I told you!


Thank you! You always come throught with some Powerful Wisdom and Insigts

I also wanted to say that you need to not put on that you have three degrees, and just put your experience that applies to the job. They are probably looking at you as overqualified, thus not giving you the position.