It is hard to lose my job because someone lied about me.
It is hard for God’s people, in any situation, to lose their job because someone lied about them.
It must have been hard on Joseph when he lost his job because someone lied about him.

It is hard to wait for a job.
It is hard for God’s people if they are out of work for months, unable to make house payments.
It must have been hard for Moses to leave a palace to live in the wilderness 40 years – no job.

It is hard to be away from family for three week stretches – work requires it!
It is hard for God’s person to spend weeks away on job assignment, or a year away – in Iraq or Afghanistan.
It must have been hard for the apostle Paul to continually live on mission trips – with no family to return to.

It is hard to sit at a desk in an empty office and call every boy (180) who attended DL the year before – please return!
It is hard for the Christian sales person to call prospect after prospect seeking a sale – knowing their income is at stake.
It must have been hard for Jeremiah to plead with God’s people to repent, to turn for their sinful ways. No sale!

It is hard to eat another meal in a restaurant or at McDonalds – alone.
It is hard to be God’s person, who, in the line of their work, eats another meal in a restaurant, or at McDonalds – alone.
It must have been hard for Caleb to be stuck in the wilderness eating manna – even when he had trusted God for victory

It is hard to hire 50 employees on the basis of one or two recommendations and one personal interview.
It is hard to open a new franchise, and, even after considerable prayer, to hire people – knowing they could do poorly.
It must have been hard for Jesus to have Peter deny him three times – even though Jesus knew Peter would do it.

It is hard to be the director of a camp, when you are unsure of how the camp should function.
It is hard for a believer to begin a new job when they have not observed the person who previously had the position.
It must have been hard for Timothy when Paul asked him to remain in Ephesus to teach the truth to a developing church.

Life, for the believer, will have periods of time when it is hard to know what is God’s best for the situation.
It does not matter if the believer is in full time Christian vocation or working for a “secular company”.
It does not matter if the believer lives today, or 2000 years ago.

When we live In Partnership With God, we may have situations that stretch our bodies, minds and faith.
Through history, God has let this happen to His people.

Perhaps God has chosen challenges for His people – that we may grow in our confidence of God’s faithfulness.