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Our thought for today comes from a woman who has had more difficulties to deal with than a lot of us put together. That is why she has a right to say what she says, and why we should take notice when she says it.

“I know discouragement comes easy, but I also know things happen when God is ready for them to happen and not a second sooner. God knows why he wants things to happen in the order they have to. We just need to be ready when they come.”

This is a woman in a complex situation seeking to hold onto a childlike faith while displaying an adult-like wisdom. What she’s saying is that she has recognized there are two different time zones going on when it comes to correlating God’s will and our experience. One I’ll call My Desperate Time (MDT) and the other, God’s Own Time (GOT).

Most of us run on MDT. MDT defines our reality. It’s what we see and feel always. We are conscious of it the minute we rise up in the morning until we put our weary heads on the pillow at night. We measure pleasure and pain by it; we judge our overall state-of-being by it.

God, on the other hand, exists in another time zone entirely. In GOT, His will is always done, and nothing is ever late. GOT also takes into account the MDT of everyone, which can often get tangled up. You see there are as many MDT zones as there are people, and that means they can often be in conflict. But with God there is never any conflict. There is only one GOT and as far as He is concerned, everything is right on schedule.

This is why it is utterly silly to wonder if God has heard our prayers based on whether or not He has acted in MDT. God always hears our prayers — He has most likely already answered them — he just answered them in GOT.

Most of our issues with God are all about time zones. Think about the hapless Bible character, Job. Job was smack in the middle of MDT all the while he was suffering, and his best friends were trying to figure out why God wasn’t doing anything in MDT. Well, we know now that God rarely does; He is always in GOT and we can see that now, in Job’s case, because his life ultimately caught up with GOT. Eventually, all MDT will be GOT. In fact, that will be what heaven is all about. We will all be kicking back in God’s Own Time.

So faith is mostly all about time zones. When you pray, know that you were heard, and move ahead, believing in GOT and just maybe, MDT won’t be so desperate.

Question: What “time zone” do you see yourself usually operating in?

About the Author: John Fischer

Every week in the USA, nearly half a million people apply for unemployment benefits.

In fact, trying times like these (when none of those dozens of resumes sent out seem to generate the slightest interest) are often what cause us to reach out to God anew. C. S. Lewis once said “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Not that we should seek pain, but when we do encounter it, it is often intended as a refining process. If it’s your husband rather than yourself that has lost their job, you may want to try reading “Coping With Your Husband’s Job Loss”

That said, I think most churches do a pretty poor job of supporting their members who are unemployed. Here’s how the first century church worked:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

Later in Acts, Luke further emphasizes the attitude of the early church:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. (Acts 4:32-35)

Shouldn’t it be the church members’ privilege and responsibility to care for others in their congregation? But how often does that actually happen?

At my church we have a prayer meeting every Sunday to pray for the prayer requests of the church in general and individuals in particular. However we rarely hear that anyone is unemployed to be able to pray for them, even though we know many are currently struggling in this way. How have our churches become a place where we’re ashamed to admit our struggles? How can we pray for people if we don’t even know they need to be prayed for?

Even after introducing this idea to a church, it may take awhile before people are willing to buy into the vision. If you would like someone who will pray with you, confidentially via email, please contact us for prayer, and we will pray with you. Or you can leave a public comment below.

Are you experiencing financial concerns? We are here to pray for you.

This passage reminds me of the song children sing in our church – “All Things Bright and Beautiful”. It says that God made it all. God, our Father is the Creator of the world, the universe and all things big and small. Everything comes from Him. He just lets us use it.

I think often times; it is easy for us humans to forget that fact. We fool ourselves into thinking we have created something, not that God first gave us the where-for-all  and talent to do it. When we do that, we point to ourselves and not to Him. Eventually, it will get the better of us. Then we are reminded that all things are from Him. Praise God from whom all things flow.

All things that happen come through Him as well. He allows all things, even evil. The Book of Job speaks to that. But He also protects His own, is there to help us through the tough times called life, and to correct and guide us when evil lurks whether at someone else’s hand or our own doing. Paul says we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.  Guidance, strength, love and hope flow through Him to us. Through Him, death has been conquered and sins forgiven.

Our response? All things should come to Him. We need to bring God our sorrows, our thanks, our praise, our confessions and our questions.  We sing glory to God. Because of the Holy Spirit, whatever we ask in Jesus’ name we can bring to the Father. The more we lay at His feet, the better off we are. Our lives are calmer, happier and more fulfilled.

I see the Trinity in this passage from Romans. All is from the Father, through the Son and to the Holy Spirit who presents our prayers  and offerings back to God. Our identity as children of God comes from knowing that. Once we realize it, our lives will be more full.

Question: How can remembering this passage improve your life? Is there something you need to know is from God, or must give to God, or see it is through God’s mercy and grace?

About the Author Julie Cosgrove

Hurting from the pain of losing a baby or child? We care and want to pray for you.

Have you ever felt that low?

So many things had gone wrong in Job’s life — for no apparent reason — that he despaired of life. He had lost his children, his marriage, his belongings, his health and his reputation. When he asked, “Why?” his four friends said, “You must have sinned grievously or God would never allow this to happen to you.”

“But I’ve always tried to do what’s right,” Job replied.

“You couldn’t have,” his friends insisted. They kept accusing him of sin and Job kept defending himself. After thirty seven chapters of this, they were no closer to an answer than when they started.

That’s when God showed up and spoke for Himself. Although He cleared Job of all sin, He did not give him an answer as to why he had suffered. Instead, God asked Job questions which he, being a mere man, could not answer. And what was Job’s conclusion? “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5,6).

Job worshiped.

We worship God when we leave it up to Him to interpret our circumstances. We worship God when we allow our heartache and our horrible circumstances to crowd us closer to the One who grieves with us because He loves us more than we can imagine.

Like Job, I’ve discovered that God doesn’t give us an answer to our why questions. Instead, He offers Himself: a listening ear, a refuge in the storm, a center when persons we trusted forsake us; a foundation when everything caves in. Suffering provides an opportunity for us to get to know God in a deeper, more personal way.

I’ve stopped asking why to life’s inexplicable situations. Instead, I ask now what? Now that this thing has happened, what can I do to make my life a little better? How can I help to bring some relief to those who are also suffering? I can’t do anything about the why, but I can do something about the what. And that’s where I want to put my energies.

Dear God, I want to trust You even when I don’t understand what’s happening in my life.  Amen.

Questions: How can you help to bring some relief to those who are also suffering? Why does God allow suffering?

About the Author Helen Grace Lescheid

Is multi-tasking hurting your productivity?

The BBC reports:

Indeed, media multi-tasking sounds, at first glance, like a boon for productivity. If we can do two things at once, we can do twice the amount in the same length of time, or the same amount in half the time. Either way, it’s a nifty trick. But it’s not quite as simple as that, as my frustrating evening demonstrated. A raft of studies has found that, actually, multi-tasking is a good way to do several things badly.

For example, studies by Gloria Mark, professor of informatics at the University of California, have found that when people are continually distracted from one task, they work faster but produce less. Another found that students solving a maths puzzle took 40% longer – and suffered more stress – when they were made to multi-task.

As I wrote this post, I was listening to music. I was also interrupted several times as I attempted to multitask or otherwise got sidetracked. I responded to messages via instant messaging, email, AND texted messages to my phone! All of these things ironically distracted me from writing this post. I’ve also noticed that while I used to sit and read a good book for hours, now after about a half hour I start getting restless. Is this a product of age, or of the increased pace and multi-tasking of our daily environments?

There is another interesting comment made in the article: “Philosopher Damon Young, author of [the book] Distraction, says that we’ve become habituated to checking e-mails and texts, and turn towards the “safe novelty” of Facebook rather than the important but tricky stuff of real life.” Texting is now supposedly being the preferred communication method for 12-17 year olds. Is the “safe novelty” of this sort of multi-tasking distracting us even from the “tricky stuff” of real life relationships because its easier?

Do you think multi-tasking helps or hinders your productivity? What about your relationships? If you’ve been realizing lately that you need to focus more on your relationship with your significant other, children, or other important people in your life, but aren’t sure how, you can always contact a mentor to talk about it.

Do you want to learn how to manage your time effectively? Take our free life lesson

“You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia.” (Acts 20:18)

On his way to Jerusalem, Paul asks the elders of the church at Ephesus to meet with him. The Holy Spirit had warned him that he faced prison and hardship where ever he went. And in his heart, Paul knew that he would never see them again.  In this farewell address, Paul expresses how he has faithfully discharged the duty God gave him.

Both my husband and I have been working on our résumés lately. In a résumé, one provides an outline of work history and experience. Maybe that is why to me, the latter half of Acts chapter 20 reads like a summary of Paul’s life’s work:

•    “I have served the Lord with great humility and with tears” (v19)
•    “I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you” (v20)
•    “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.” (v21)
•    “I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God” (v27)
•    “I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears” (v31)
•    “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing” (v33)
•    “I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak” (v35)

Why did Paul choose these phrases as his parting words to the Ephesians? To remind them of how he lived among them, so that they might follow his example and carry on the work of Christ.

Heavenly Father, I want to demonstrate the same passion and diligence and humility as Paul. Amen.

Questions: What can you include in your résumé for God? How can you begin to add humility, diligence and passion for Jesus to your résumé?

About the Author: Suzanne Benner

Soul Cravings Webcards. These are an easy way to invite someone to be mentored. Pin them on notice boards, leave a few in a waiting room or hand them out to friends. Order here >>>

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Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

Julie’s face was set in a worried, tight expression, a look I had seen on her often in recent months.

“What’s the matter, Julie?” I asked.

“Oh, the doctor just told me I have gastritis!” she exclaimed. “I’ve read that it can become chronic, and can have some painful consequences!”

“Well, if this is your first attack, maybe it won’t become chronic,” I said. “I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you. That might make it worse.”

“But you’re not me!” Julie returned. “The doctor suggested that I try to avoid tension as much as possible. Avoid tension! How can I do that when I have to work in the same office with that impossible woman? Whenever she gets a chance, she sticks her verbal knife in my back!”

“Why don’t you find another job?”

“That’s not as easy as it sounds,” said Julie. “I’ve worked for this company for twenty-five years. I’ve built up seniority, as well as my salary. This woman has been working there for only a year. Why should I let her drive me out?”

“Well, it certainly sounds like a bad situation, and I’ll pray with you about it,” I promised. “You know, I had a problem like that in an office once.”

“How did you handle it?” Julie asked.

“I asked the Lord to help me to answer with kindness whenever the other girl took a stab at me,” I told her.

Julie nodded. “Well, I’ve tried to be nice to this woman. Maybe if I ask the Lord, He will show me what else to do.”

“Are there any other things that might cause tension in your life?” I asked.

“I have a lot to do,” answered Julie. “I’m ‘on the go’ all the time. On my lunch hour, I run downtown to do some shopping. I belong to several organizations and hold offices in them. Also, I just bought a new car, and keeping up with the payments is difficult. I’ve been taking in odd jobs on the side. There just seems to be so many things to worry about!”

“Sounds as if the devil has you in a corner,” I said. “Look, I have a book dealing with tension. I’ll loan it to you. It might help.”

The following Sunday I brought the book to church to give to Julie. And I prayed daily about her situation at the office and other problems. Several weeks later I saw her in Sunday school class. “How’s it going now?” I asked.

“Much better!” she exclaimed, smiling. “I can hardly believe it, but things are so different at the office. That girl’s attitude toward me is changing. And that book has helped me so much!”

So many people carry unnecessary heavy burdens in our rush-rush world today, burdens that actually make them sick. Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all you who are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Questions: What unnecessary burdens are you carrying? What is God asking you to do about it?

About the Author Muriel Larson

1) A degree does not entitle you to a job
When I graduated, I somehow had the idea that I would graduate and be handed a job. This belief might have been partially true 40 years ago but not today. Think about the 1000′s of other students on your campus; they are all going to be competing with you for jobs. A college/university degree has become the new high school degree.

2) Find what you love to do
If you’re like me and many other grads, over the four years at school you’ve realized that what you expected you’d do when you graduated is not what you want to do anymore. Don’t expect that you’ll land your new dream job immediately, but start thinking about how you can work towards that eventual goal.

3) Learn how to interact with people
It used to be the case that IT people could get away with having poor interpersonal skills. Those days are over. All the booksmart knowledge in the world won’t help you keep a job once you get it.

4) Learn to cover your butt
Office politics is present in pretty much every job. Your task will be to mitigate its effects as much as possible. Keep records of everything. Document things in writing. Make sure your t’s are crossed and your i’s are dotted, or it can come back to bite you later.

5) Build and maintain a new social network
When you’re in residence at university, you’re pretty much forced into social relationships. But after moving back home after school, you may realize your childhood friends are gone, your college friends are far away, and your main social interactions are with your coworkers. Try to find other social opportunities, such as sports or hobbies groups, or a young career group at your local church.

One more to add to the list: Pay off your student loan as soon as possible! If you are like many college grads, you will graduate with massive debt. Paying off your student loan ASAP is critical to avoid paying huge amounts of interest.

Do you have any tips for new grads? Share with us below! And if you are a student who needs someone to talk with, about jobs, finances, or life in general, please feel free to contact a mentor anytime via email, just to talk privately.

Related interactive link: If you find yourself searching for significance after college, try our online interactive life lesson, “Living With Significance“!