Job opportunities and motherly wisdom

I had a job interview yesterday. It went well, and they called me back this morning for a second interview next week with the entire team of people that I would be working with. It’s for a public health nursing job working with children with special needs. I did a similar program in Laramie, and it was probably my least favorite part of my job there. Not because I don’t have a heart for children with special needs, but because there is not as much face to face time with your clients as I would like. I have mixed feelings to say the least.

Now, growing up my mother used all of those awesome “mom sayings.” You all know what I mean. There are threatening ones like: “stop whining or I’ll give you something to whine about,…  or Do _________ this instant or I’ll spank you ‘til your bottom blisters” (we always just laughed,… which made her more frustrated). Then there were the wise mom quotes,… ones that I’ll remember my whole life (and I’m sure use on my own children many many times) because they teach an important life lesson. (Bear with me, I will eventually come full circle.) These include: “a job half done is twice done,… delayed obedience is disobedience,… neither a borrower nor lender be,…” I could really go on and on… (I love you Mom!  ;-) Anyway here’s the one I’m trying to apply now: “beggars can’t be choosers.”

I’m struggling with this because I’ve been fighting off feelings of entitlement for the last 4 months. At the end of June I turned down a job that I would have loved because I took a hard pro-life stance on an interview question. The interviewer went so far as to call me and flat-out say that if I would compromise just a little bit that I could have the job. That simply was not an option, and I told her that if that was what they required, then I was not the right person to be working with them. It was a huge disappointment, but I got over it quickly because I really believed that God was going to bless my faithfulness in taking a stand for what I know to be right.

BUT: If I’m going to be perfectly honest I must admit that my motivation for turning down the job was not really what it should have been. My heart was not in the right place. Instead of simply wanting to do what is right because it pleases God’s heart, I did it mostly because I thought that rich heavenly blessings would rain down upon me because of my incredible faithfulness to God (insert sarcasm here). The fact of the matter is that I did not make that decision out of faithfulness; I made it out of selfishness. I made it because I thought that if I did then it would almost force God into providing me with something bigger and better. I thought that I was suffering for Christ (what a martyr right?), and was bound to be rewarded. Foolish me.

So, (here I come to close the circle,… promised I would!) here I am today, almost 4 months later and I’m up for another job (with the same organization actually) that I will gratefully accept if offered (after all beggars can’t be choosers); because no matter what the job may be it is better than more unemployment.

The last four months have taught me a lot about the nature of God, my own worth, and my relationship with Christ; and I want to keep learning. I think that this (seemingly less than ideal) job may be one more way for God to help me keep my eyes focused on Him rather than my own career and accomplishments. I will do the work that God sets before me, and I will do it cheerfully (yup,… another one of Mom’s!).

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 29:11-13

You see it's all about perspective. The last 4 months have not seemed like the "perfect plan" for my life on the surface. However if I compare my relationship with Christ now to where it was 4 months ago, I realize that the last 4 months have been so much better for me than they would have if I had been working. I was forced to seek after God with all of my heart,... and I found Him,... just like He promised.

I can't think of a better hope or future than that.