Such a simple thing

[ThisOne]

It seems so simple, this problem I have, but I cannot get it right. When the day is done, I can pray and feel that I trust God completely, and that all somehow will be well.

But as I search for work, and I am an a dire state, and when I contemplate my life in general, which is not going well, I end up getting very upset and feeling very bad.

I am frustrated because I cannot find work in my field, and I may have to go to another city across the country to do so, and even then, it’s not a sure thing.

But instead of remembering what I know about God, I end up really crying and feeling miserable and self-pitying. And I don’t want to do this if I don’t have to.

I think that these feelings are normal, but I don’t know if I should be somehow praying while I look for work or something. It’s so painful, and getting upset makes it so hard to try to find work.

It’s such a simple thing, right, integrating our knowledge of God’s purpose into our lives? But why can’t I do it?

I’m relatively socially isolated, also, which doesn’t help, and my best friend seems to want to end the friendship, so I am feeling pretty low in general, but when I turn completely to God, I am calmed and I am peaceful.

How can I keep this throughout the harshness of my day, with its sadness and disappointment?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Getting upset like I am today makes me feel reluctant to seek God’s solace, though, because I got it last night and I squandered it today, didn’t I? And last night I had an insight that I cannot now recall, and whatever it was, it didn’t help me during today, when I got progressively more and more upset as the day wore on.

I will not be able to make it if I cannot stay calm and not feel so sad and depressed and hopeless during the day. The idea of moving to another city is part of this, but whatever happens to me, I need peace and I want peace. I am tired of hurting so much.

 

[LilyM]

Absolutely keep praying while you’re looking. It certiainly can’t hurt to do so, right!

I read a while ago that St Francis of Assisi actually preferred his followers to pray HOURLY rather than only once or twice a day as many of us do. Not long prayers, just an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be each hour, which is certainly do-able for 99% of us. And it really helps to keep God in the forefront of our minds during the day, where He should be

What I do during really tough times is simply repeat to myself St Faustina’s saying - ‘Jesus I trust in You’. As many times as I need to. And concentrate on it and mean it.

And think of the Bible passage where St Paul said that Jesus was tempted like us in every way and suffered in every way that we do. Ask him, the Blessed Mother who went through most of it at his side, and your guardian angel, for help

 

[water]

I will not be able to make it if I cannot stay calm and not feel so sad and depressed and hopeless during the day. The idea of moving to another city is part of this, but whatever happens to me, I need peace and I want peace. I am tired of hurting so much.

Hello ThisOne,

I could relate to you on this. When I graduated from university, I had so much difficult time looking for job - I had to do labor job with low payment and also got yelled at by some rude customers. During this difficult time, I was praying to God to have a job related to my field. Sometimes, I felt so depressed, sometimes I tried to convince myself that I could live with whatever the job I had at the moment and just keep searching for better job. It really helped.

Two years passing by, I still kept my low-salary job. I then started to change the way I had prayed. Before I kept praying for me to have the job I wanted; after the change, I prayed to have a job and to have time to praise the Lord.

Now, looking back - after 3 1/2 years long, I’ve finally got the job I had always wished to have, and I spend more time worshiping the Lord. If I had had a job I wanted back there, my life would have not changed - a bad life.

…and yes, I had to move out of state - my family and friend and thousand miles away.

I also met someone at my church who had the same situation and he was praying and spending time with the Lord, and his prayer finally got answered.

Have faith in the Lord, thisOne, and keep on praying, praising, and worshiping Him. He knows what is best for you. When we do, things come to you more than you ever wish for.

 

[InLight247]

In addition to praying and trustng in God, you also need to reach out. It is not good to be socially isolated. It is not easy once you step out of school and all old friends are scatterd in different places. But you need to help yourself.

Check if your church has any group you can join. Search online for any social clubs in your area to explore. How about alumni association? You need to make new friends. New circle will help your networking of looking for job also. Don’t isolate yourself. To be alone with God is good but there has to be some supportive friends in your daily life also. I know it is not easy, but try to reach out. Pray for God’s lead, for both job and friends. I 'll pray for you.

 

[puzzleannie]

can’t help in your current situation except by prayer, I am sure you have already gotten career counselling and that stuff, but can offer personal experience. Several times during our marriage either me or my husband had sudden drastic unplanned “career changes” or what is more brutally called pink-slips. Some of those necessitate moving, and at great financial cost and dismay of family members (like the daughter who had to move during her senior year).

In every case the circumstances of our new situation turned out much better than we could ever anticipate, and led to great things both materially and for our family, spiritually etc. Also the problems we did worry about, fret about, anticipate and plan for never arose, although we had plenty of problems crop up we never imagined. but we also dealt with those by God’s help.

 

[TomS]

I, too can relate to ThisOnes struggle. I have an advanced degree (M.S.) and still can’t seem to find a job in my area after I was “downsized” and “deselected” from my previous job of 20 years. This funny thing is that I am considered over qualified for any of the entry level jobs that are out there and there are few professional level jobs available.

I too am beset by self pity. I feel exactly the same way you do ThisOne. The advice given to you will help me also. I keep hearing that something better will come along; maybe someday I will believe it. Please pray for me and I will pray for you and all those who are struggling.

TomS

 

[water]

I, too can relate to ThisOnes struggle. I have an advanced degree (M.S.) and still can’t seem to find a job in my area after I was “downsized” and “deselected” from my previous job of 20 years. This funny thing is that I am considered over qualified for any of the entry level jobs that are out there and there are few professional level jobs available.

I too am beset by self pity. I feel exactly the same way you do ThisOne. The advice given to you will help me also. I keep hearing that something better will come along; maybe someday I will believe it. Please pray for me and I will pray for you and all those who are struggling.

TomS

Hi Tom,

Looking back my life, I now fully understand why I had not able to find a job I wanted. God was preparing for my soul - I was very bad back then, and I was so blind not to see it. Praise the Lord, that He had pity on me and did not give up on me.

 

[RosaLydia]

I think just like everyone, I struggled sometimes to know God’s will or to do his will in particularly difficult circumstances this is what has helped:

(1) Go to confession regularly (every 2 weeks or every week if in a particularly hard place, usually 1/month). I imagine that the soul is like a window, and God’s grace is like the sunshine and any venial sin will cloud the window and less and less sunshine will come thru

(2) Go to daily Mass and receive the Eucharist. There are days that I felt I could not have made it thru a day if I did receive Christ in the Eucharist. Christ will share His life and give you strength to continue.

(3) Pray at least 30 minutes every day - no matter how you feel- read scripture, or just sit there and tell God how you feel even if its just anger.

(4) Journal - write down your feelings, your insights so you don’t forget, what God is telling you in prayer, what scriptures have come up during your struggle. If there are things or emotions that need healing, after taking them to confession, write them down and burn them.

(5) Find a support group - especially of like minded spiritual folks, we are meant to be in community, to be Christ for each other.

(6) Put a crucifix (not just a cross) on the place where you always see it, for me is just under my keyboard in the computer, when your vocation crisis hit, look at the crucifix and give all your pain to our Lord and nail it to his cross.

Recently I’ve started receiving spiritual direction, this is not therapy, but someone that will walk the journey with you and help you discern God’s voice in your life. Maybe this would be beneficial for you too. Call your diocese and request a list of spiritual directors in your area. Pray to the Holy Spirit to help find the one that will help you and then pick up the phone and make an appointment, don’t be shy.

I pray that you may be able to discern God’s will for your life and your vocation and find joy and happiness in what you do.