Scripture Reading: Romans 8:31-39
Some of challenges of unemployment—such as loss of income and slowed career progress—are obvious. However, unemployment can take a toll in other ways. Joblessness can remove our sense of purpose and identity. Depending on the reasons for our unemployment, we may struggle with feelings of shame or hopelessness. Fear for want of food or other provision may drive unrelenting anxiety. All of these things can hurt us. But they cannot triumph over us.
We may be very familiar with the verses from Romans 8 about God’s unfailing love. But have we ever thought about applying them in our unemployment?
Christ’s faithfulness—and ours, by God’s grace—overcomes the worst that life can do to us. If career progress, income, or prestige are our highest goals, we may end up disappointed; and that disappointment can be felt most acutely when we’re unable to find work. But if salvation—that is, reconciliation with God and people—is our chief hope, then we will find it amidst both good and bad, both in work and out of work. Christ died and rose and is at the right hand of God interceding for us. Even our darkest moments cannot separate us from God’s love. We can rest in that knowledge.
Prayer: Lord, I sometimes feel as though things present and things to come are separating me from your love. Help me remember that such is not the case. Rather, your love always enfolds me. Help me notice the ways you provide for me, and help me look for ways even now to advance your purposes in the world. Amen.
Further Exploration: Click to read more from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary about how Romans 8 can apply to work.
Author: Theology of Work Project
Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org
You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.
© 2014 by the Theology of Work Project, Inc.
Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
