I remember a feeling that consumed me last summer; it was a feeling of meaning and purpose. I was interning at Focus on the Family, and nothing in my life had ever felt so right. After several years of education, I felt as though I had finally transcended into the work force — the daily grind that wasn’t nearly as monotonous as 8-to5ers had made it seem.
But then something terrible happened. The summer ended, and I moved back into a dorm with a pile of irrelevant books on my desk instead of interesting projects and ministry-changing materials. I couldn’t wait to be finished so I could return to that life of greater purpose.
Well, the time has come. I’m a college graduate, and it isn’t quite what I imagined. I had envisioned a cute little apartment with a closet of new business apparel. I thought I would have found a fulfilling job — you know, one where you wake up before the alarm clock. But instead, over 1,700 miles of job searching later (and this is just within the past two weeks), I find myself unshowered and overfed on my family’s farm in South Dakota.
The last blog I wrote was nearly two months ago as I was turned down for the first position I applied for. Upsetting, but I thought I had plenty of time to keep searching. Two weeks ago I had another let down, but instead of taking excess time to recover, I applied for several different jobs in a tri-state area. I hit the road again in search for a job, for income, for purpose, for that feeling I experienced a year ago. The drive home was tiring and discouraging. I had sat through interviews up to three and a half hours long, taken aptitude tests and was quizzed on the spot. My mind was numb and my hopes shallow.
My wandering thoughts went back to the verses of Romans I had read the night before.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:28).
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37).
These verses flooded my brain. Specific words imprinted my soul: called, purpose, predestined, glorified, conqueror. Who was I to get down and discouraged? I am a child of God, a conqueror of the tough times. My gifts and talents are no less because I cannot immediately find a job. I will always belong to a loving Father who has handpicked me to do His work.
This may seem like a Sunday school lesson, but think about this. Go to Romans and read chapters 8–10. We, my friends, job or no job, single or married, rich or poor, we have been selected for a greater purpose than for anything we will find on this earth.
This may be something we have to remind ourselves of every day, but when we let these beautiful verses fill our hearts, I think we are able to see how special we really are. The world weighs us unfairly, but God will never call back to say He isn’t interested or that it is time for Him to let us go. Nope. Never. Considering how unqualified we are for the great purposes He has for us, His mercy is abundant and His forgiveness unfathomable. Yet He loves us and continues to bless us.
Feel special today, wherever you are in your life. If things are not going your way and you feel worthless in the eyes of the world, treasure these words: called, purpose, predestined, glorified, conqueror. We have already been hired for the greatest and most fulfilling task that will ever exist.
