Consider it an Honor

I sure have my share of life’s ups and downs. While I have been through much since I turned 18, I still realize how good I have it compared to others. Since becoming a believer around the age of 40, it seems the trials in my life have come in greater numbers. I hope that doesn’t discourage anyone who stumbles across this blog and does not yet know God. But I can say that my attitude towards those trials is completely different than it was before I met God.

I once worked at one of the premiere consulting companies in the world. Just before I could make partner at that firm, the firm folded. You might be able to figure which firm but that is not important. Just before that happened I went through a painful divorce, injured my knee and dealt with other emotional issues. I was not yet a believer and these times were very hard to handle emotionally. Since then I my work life has been in a continuous state of change. I have had three positions eliminated (while I was holding them) and one that we mutually agreed to part ways. I have gone through many employment transitions and fully understand what it means to be unemployed with no vision into the future.

One day at our church men’s breakfast, I was asked to speak and give a personal testimony. Of course part of that was how I must trust that God has a plan for me and that plan is for good and not for my destruction (Jeremiah 29:11). Since God’s word is true for those who believe, then this employment fun I have had must lead to something good. Since that time, God has given me several opportunities to sit with other men who have lost their jobs and don’t have the peace that I have through God. God has trusted me to handle this the way I have and help those find their way into God’s peace.

The bottom line is the most equipped people to help you with any given problems are the ones who have gone through it before you. Whenever God is taking you “through” a life situation, He is preparing you to help others with it. You are being trained and promoted into a role you didn’t have before experiencing the hardship.

Therefore, consider it an honor that God has chosen to work through you to help one of His children find their way to God’s peace in their situation. If you can truly grasp this it makes your own personal trials look and feel completely different.