To be honest with you, saying that I am thankful for my seven months of unemployment this year is about the most unnatural words for me to write. But I have learned over the last year that personal healing and a responsible theology demand that I am thankful for everything. I learned this from my friend Bobby, who told me a story about a child of his who was bitter at God for losing someone close to him. Bobby’s instruction to his child was to get on his knees and thank God for taking that person away.
It seems counter-intuitive, thanking God for things that suck. Our natural inclination is to blame God. But imagine if you could stand with Job, shake your fist in the air, and say “Though he may slay me, still will I praise him.” Or join with Paul, beaten and shipwrecked, and say “God works in all things.” Or with Jesus, staring betrayal and death in the face and saying “Not my will, but thine.”
I could write a lot more on what I learned during my unemployment. But I haven’t because it’s not really resolved, and I’m not quite at peace with it all. But I do know that the story is far from over, I’m already stronger for it all, and even though he drives me crazy sometimes, I really need God and trust his ways.
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