“The Lord Gives, and the Lord Takes Away”
Treasure in the Midst of Anxiety and Loss
The loss of my full-time job and the anxiety of starting several new jobs were brutal. How do we find the treasure Jesus offers during times like this?
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ~ Matthew 13:44
We find our treasure in the ways the Lord reveals Himself to us. Sometimes the treasure is hidden, and we have to find it. But when we find it, we find joy.
Anxiety
A few months ago I lost my full-time contract at a Montessori school. Instead of letting me go outright, they offered me a contracted position teaching Spanish at four different schools for a few hours a day. The money wasn’t enough, so I had to find something else to supplement.
Anxiety plagued me as I wondered how I was going to find something that would work around the Spanish job, which I thought would be a fun opportunity. The Lord answered prayer in more than one way. First, He gave me a job teaching piano. And when I say He gave it — someone mentioned it to me, I applied, and after a Zoom interview, I was hired. I thought it would be the perfect fit. It wasn’t, so I looked for something else.
God gave me two more jobs at about the same time. I found a job opportunity through an email to be a tutor at a Christian school. After one interview, I got the job. Also, someone’s granddaughter from church needed tutoring, and I got that job.
Now that I had five jobs (I still have an extra-money, part-time job at Bath and Body Works), it seemed like enough. But I still had anxiety, as all the pieces were still falling into place before my schedule became finalized.
Eventually, everything settled, and I realized the Lord had worked it out for all the jobs to fit together perfectly. My anxiety dissipated.
I found my treasure in the Lord’s provision for me during this process, and I was thankful for all the pieces He had placed. Not only did everything fit together, but I enjoyed what I was doing, and the income was going to be enough.
Until I lost the Spanish job.
Loss
Loss is always accompanied by tough emotions such as sadness and anger. Sometimes we feel despair, discouragement, and anxiety.
I’m sad that I won’t see my students anymore. I’m sad that I’m losing some of the adult connections I made. It upsets me that I put a lot of time and effort into the lesson plans and materials. I’m angry that the owner let me go via email without even giving me a chance to explain what I supposedly did wrong, with no chance to work on it. I’m tempted to feel anxious because the job was a significant portion of our income. And part of me feels like a failure and discouraged because I was let go.
Lessons from loss
When I lost this job, my husband reminded me:
“Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” ~ Luke 12:24–25
When I first lost my full-time job, I dealt with a great deal of anxiety. The anxiety lasted several months. I prayed and sought the Lord’s provision, but my heart wasn’t at peace regarding my situation. I felt awful and stressed.
“And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”
Worrying does nothing except make us feel awful. It also challenges our faith. Do we have faith that God will take care of us, or don’t we?
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I kept telling myself that things would be better when my schedule was settled, and I focused on what I was doing. I had to change the schedule, and I had to drive here, and drive there, and I had to make it on time. I didn’t give all of the pieces to God. I stayed anxious. This might have affected my work.
I had ignored these verses:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6–7
We are commanded to be anxious for nothing. In other words: Do not be anxious. If it’s a command and if we don’t obey, we are sinning against God.
There’s a reason we’re commanded not to be anxious, and it’s in the following verse. Peace. I was missing the peace in my heart. So now, I feel like the Lord is giving me another chance to embrace my loss without anxiety so that I can be at peace with God’s provision and our next steps.
Provision after loss
God will provide. He proved to me in the past that He provides. He provided three new jobs for me when I lost my full-time contract. And I can go even farther back to countless other times he’s provided jobs, cars, houses, and finances. How can I doubt Him?
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” ~ Matthew 10:29–31
God will provide for us because He cares about us.
“You are loved and valued”
“You are loved and valued” is something my husband said to me. He said the employer who let me go did not value me, but the others did. And God loves and values us more than the sparrows. He even knows all the hairs that are on our head, which means He knows the ones that fall off! So, He will not let us go. He will not let us fall, and He will not let us fail.
Next Steps after Loss
On my last day of the job, I returned all of the supplies. I said goodbye to several people. I was sad, but I was also relieved! That job gave me a lot of stress. Even after I felt that everything worked out, I was still functioning outside my comfort zone.
I am now going to be working on filing for unemployment, looking for a new job, and going on faith that the Lord will provide again.
I’m wondering what God is going to do with me.
Reflecting on my experience, it’s possible God wanted to move me out of that job for some reason. He knew He would have to force me out; I am a very loyal employee, and I thought it was a decent job.
He will not let us fall, and He will not let us fail.
We don’t always know what God has planned. Or why He allows certain things to happen the way they do. Sometimes it’s only in hindsight that we realize what God wanted for us, which is why we need to have faith.
“Faith is like a treasure hidden in a field.” ~ Lailah Gifty Akita
Faith is a treasure because if I have faith in God’s plan for me, I can accept the change in life without anxiety. If I am not anxious, I present my request, knowing that the Lord will hear and answer. Then I have peace, leaving it in His hands.
It’s going to feel better to obey God. To not be anxious. To have faith and, as a result, peace.
Are you experiencing anxiety or loss? Think about what God taught you through previous circumstances and how God provided for you in the past. He will do it again. Look for the treasure the Lord has for you. Sometimes it’s hidden. Do you have faith in Him? Remember your faith and have peace.
