Unemployed - Encouragement Café - May 4

Unemployed
 By Dawn Neely

Lord, teach us to pray. Luke 11:1

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus revealed that God the Father wants our lives to be filled with prayer, in times of stress and in times of peace. The one tutorial that the disciples requested from Jesus was how to pray. Surely they had witnessed His powerful prayer life and His discipline to pray about everything. Jesus offered very practical directions about prayer for His disciples and for us.

• First, find a place alone to talk with the Father and be absolutely honest with Him about everything. There is such freedom and release in being honest with God. It unleashes the bindings that the devil has on us, as if we somehow cannot admit what God already knows.
• Next, one's greatest spiritual connection should be alone with God. Just you and God, conversing, talking things over, listening to Him as He listens to you. 
• Draw close to God instead of avoiding Him.
• Remember God is holy, righteous, good, and wise and is always looking out for your good.

In times of crisis, such as finding ourselves "Suddenly Unemployed," we can choose one of two things; turn away from God, or lean passionately into Him. As you seek the Lord all the more while adjusting to job loss, let's look to Jesus to teach us to pray. Let's make His words deeply personal, one phrase at a time.

Some prayer prompts from Matthew 6:9-13

"Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name." (You are Holy and it is an honor and privilege to enter Your throne room to make my requests known).

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (I want Your will for my life. I surrender my unemployment to You).

"Give us this day our daily bread." (I want to thank You at every meal, every time I look in my pantry and each time I eat a snack that my provision in all things is from You. Help me be content one day at a time. I choose to believe that You will provide for my family).

"And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." (Take away any wayward thoughts or impure deeds from my mind. Forgive me God if I have blamed You for this).

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen." (God, I want You to cleanse my mind, bring my thoughts captive to Yours and keep the evil one from me. I know You know exactly where I am… unemployed… and at the moment I do not know how things are going to work out. But I do believe that Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory and in that I will cease from anxiety and rest in You). 

We all stand with you dear one in prayer and faith that God is able and He will make a way. Take heart; God is on His throne. He is waiting to hear from you.

Dear Heavenly Father, teach us to pray in a manner that is honest and bold. Humble our hearts before Thee as we recognize Your supreme authority in our lives. There is nothing that escapes Your awareness and You are intimately in tune with our lives. We choose to trust You, love You, believe in You and testify to Your faithfulness in our lives. You are my portion and my strong tower. I will trust in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

© 2020 by Dawn Neely.  All rights reserved.

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