For quite a while now, I’ve been searching for a part-time job — one that would not only fit within my physical limitations but also stay within the income restrictions tied to my disability. That may not sound too difficult at first, but when you begin looking at what’s actually out there, the reality sets in fast: most positions are either too many hours, too physically demanding, or they pay just enough to jeopardize the help I depend on. That limitation adds a layer of pressure most people don’t think about. It’s not that I don't want to work — it's that I can’t afford to say yes to the wrong thing.
And I’ll be honest — that weighed on me. I’d scroll through
job listings and come away discouraged more often than not. There was always
something that disqualified the option. Either it required me to be on my feet
too much, or it exceeded the monthly earning limit that could throw everything
else off balance. The world will tell you “there’s always something out there
if you just keep looking.” But what happens when all the somethings just don’t
fit?
I felt all of it — the frustration, the discouragement, the weariness — but I knew those emotions couldn’t be allowed to take the lead. They were real, yes, but faith had to guide me, not feelings.
Then one day, I came across the testimony of a woman
who’d been in a very similar place. She had gone through training, had the
skills, and had applied to jobs — but nothing was working out. Her frustration
eventually boiled over. She told God, “I’m tired. I’ve done everything I can.
If there’s something for me, You bring it to me.” That prayer hit me hard. I
knew exactly what that weariness felt like. You pray, and you try, and you keep
trying — but there’s a different kind of surrender when you finally say,
“Lord, You do it.”
At the time I heard her story, I had already backed away from job hunting. I was tired too. Every lead I found felt like another closed door. But her story planted something in me — a quiet reminder that God sees us, even when we feel hidden in the shuffle of online applications and missed chances.
And wouldn’t you know it? A couple of months later, I got a
message from extended family members who were looking for someone to help with
part-time administrative tasks. The hours? Perfect. The pay? Right in line. The
physical demands? Totally manageable. I didn’t go looking for it — it came
to me.
You can call it coincidence if you want, but I know
better. God heard me when I stopped striving and simply surrendered. He
heard her too, and I believe He’s still in the business of showing up
right on time — especially when we’re too tired to look anymore.
God Sees What We Don’t
Sometimes we become so focused on what we think is
supposed to happen that we miss what God is actually doing. I thought I
needed to keep hunting, keep applying, and keep striving — but none of it
brought peace. And in hindsight, I can see now that the Lord was protecting me
from walking through the wrong doors. I wasn’t being delayed — I was being
preserved. That job opening through family didn’t just meet my needs; it fit
like a key into a lock I didn’t even know was waiting.
"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee,
saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and
when ye turn to the left." Isaiah 30:21
It’s easy to get frustrated when things don’t go our way.
But sometimes, God's “no” is just as much of a blessing as His “yes.” His ways
are not our ways, and His thoughts are far above our own.
He Has the Final Say
This journey has reminded me that I am not the final
authority on my destiny — and neither are the job listings, rejection emails,
or quiet waiting seasons. God is. And He can do more in one moment of divine
alignment than I can do in a year of effort.
We often think we know what's best, or at least what makes
the most sense. But if we are unwilling to change or accept what God allows, we
may miss out on something He meant to use to bless us — or even refine us.
"O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in
himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Jeremiah
10:23
Bearing the Weight With Purpose
There’s a promise I cling to — one that has brought me
comfort again and again:
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is
common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that
ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
When the waiting got heavy and the discouragement set in, I
reminded myself that if God allowed this weight, then He also built me to
carry it — or better yet, to carry me through it. And not just for
my own growth, but so that I can be a light to someone else still sitting in
the dark.
Be the Light
Even when it’s hard, even when it doesn’t make sense, we are
called to walk in love — even toward people who don’t deserve it. Because,
truthfully, none of us deserved the love God gave us. And yet He still
gave it.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
That kind of love changes people. It changed me. And when I
find myself frustrated or impatient, I try to remember — someone out there is
waiting to see God's love through me. I don’t want to miss that moment
just because my emotions got in the way.
He Meant It for Good
Every trial has a purpose. Every delay has a reason. And
every disappointment has the potential to birth something beautiful, if we let
God use it. I don’t know what would’ve happened if I hadn’t heard that woman’s
testimony, or if I had kept trying to force doors open instead of resting and
trusting God. But I’m so thankful I didn’t miss what He had for me — because it
was exactly what I needed.
"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God
meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people
alive." Genesis 50:20
Trusting His Timing, Loving Through the Waiting
You may not be looking for a job right now. Maybe you're
dealing with something entirely different — a health struggle, a strained
relationship, a decision you can’t seem to make, or just that quiet ache of
waiting for something to change. But the truths I’ve come to realize in this
season aren’t just about employment — they are God’s truths, and they
apply no matter the situation.
There is always something to be learned when we’re walking
through the in-between. It may not look like growth at the time. In fact, it
may feel like you're stuck or unseen. But if you’re the one who is spiritually
awake — if you’re seeking Him — you'll begin to see what He means. You’ll catch
glimpses of His purpose behind the pain, His direction behind the delays, and
His mercy behind the “no.”
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be
weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
No, He never promised that life would be easy. It's not all
“unicorns and roses,” as I like to say. But He did promise to be with us —
every step, every stumble, every tear.
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed;
for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will
uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10
And while you’re waiting, while you're growing — love. Even
when it’s hard. Even when it’s undeserved. Especially then. Because at one
point, we were the hard ones to love — and still, God looked at us and
called us worthy of mercy.
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he
loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1
John 4:10
Don’t waste the season you’re in. Don’t run from the hard
places or ignore the growth God is trying to bring about in you. Let it
change you. Let it soften you. Let it deepen your faith. Because He’s still
writing your story — and the next chapter might just be the one you’ve been
praying for.
Endure the Season Before You
Whatever challenge lies before you right now — no matter how heavy, confusing,
or exhausting it feels — you are not alone in it. This may be your stretching
season, your refining season, or the season that finally shifts the story.
Endure it with grace. Endure it with faith. The Lord hasn’t forgotten you, and
He won’t waste your pain. Keep trusting, even when you don’t understand. Keep
loving, even when it’s hard. Because your endurance is not in vain.
"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be
perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:4
Some of you might be thinking I’m a little crazy for
believing that God orchestrated the whole affair. But I beg to differ. God is
all-knowing, all-powerful, and above all — I don’t believe in accidents.
Not when it comes to a God who numbers the hairs on our heads and bottles every
tear we cry.
Even when life doesn’t make sense and the road ahead is
rough, He is still working behind the scenes. What feels like delay or detour
may be a divine setup for something far greater — not just for you, but for
someone else whose life will be touched because you endured.
There’s a benefit, even in the suffering. And when you know
that God is in control, you can keep going — not because it's easy, but because
it's worth it.
"And we know that all things work together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans
8:28
What’s a time when God used your waiting or pain for something greater than you expected?
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