staying faithful : it is well
Friday, August 10, 2012 at 5:05PM 
I've spent the better part of two full days working on one of the best cover letters I've ever written. I worked especially hard for this one, going the extra mile to display precisely how I could be an asset to the organization and why I'm so passionate about seeking employment there. Right before I worked up the gumption to press send I took a break to pray about it and get some insight from scripture. I opened my Bible to see this passage from 1 Thessalonians 5:
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
It was a "GO TEAM!" moment if there ever was one, just what I needed to give me enough courage to pull the trigger. God is faithful! He will do it! YES!
I went back to my computer, opened up my email so that I could send the letter, and found one new message waiting for me.
A rejection letter from the same organization I was just about to contact, in response to an inquiry I'd sent a few weeks ago.
...
I didn't fly off the handle. I didn't weep and wail. I didn't shrug my shoulders and move on. I was just confused. Why? What am I not seeing clearly? What am I doing wrong? What do You want me to do???
I couldn't figure it out.
So I put my headphones in and lay down on the floor and listened to August's theme song, I Will Wait. And I let bitter, defeated tears flow. It's not the constant rejection that's chipping away at me, it's the doubt. The whispers that maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm so wrong.
I went back to the scripture I had read only moments earlier and recalled the promises. The emphasis seemed to be more relevant in other places this time:
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
This is an opportunity to establish a firm foundation. To persevere. To have bold faith in spite of lingering doubts. To rely on the Lord, to seek His wisdom, to practice relentless gratitude. Even (and especially) when I don't understand what He's doing.
I'm not giving up on this job. I'm going to send the letter anyway, but now I'm going one step further to make it even better than originally planned. Maybe I'm staring in the face of a closed door, but maybe I'm being given an opportunity to prove my character. And if it stills comes back as a no, that's ok. There will be something else.
Because I believe that God has a plan for this time in my life. Even (and especially) if it's not what I'm expecting.
The one who calls me is faithful, and He will do it.
Reader Comments (3)
First, I am so thrilled that Mumford and Sons is coming out with a new album. I had no idea!
Second, those verses are filled with such great proof of love! The fact that you read truth from passages like 1 Thes are proof that doubt hasn't overcome you. Press on :) Why? Cause he loves you.
Beka, you just watch what God can do with a heart like that! I once was in a very similar job rejection and two weeks later they came back to give me the job. (the other person they thought was perfect - wasn't so good after all :) God is so ready to surprise you - be like a child, ready to receive it! Mr. Thomsen
Abby - I'm so glad you're excited about the new album too! Thank you so much for your encouragement, I really appreciate it.
Mr. Thomsen - It's great to hear from you! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your experience. I'm grateful for your support! Hope you are doing well!