Is Unemployment a Calling (Vocation)?

Has God Called You to be Unemployed?

Unemployment hurts. Unemployment brings stress, suffering, and...  a new call?

The pain of unemployment,

• You're facing the upcoming mortgage payment
• Stressing over which bill to pay this month, or at least partially pay



Suffering Christ

• The dollar menu at McDonald's is the infrequent big night out
• Screening your phone calls... because of collectors
• Depressingly watch credit card bills grow at high interest
• Praying fervently the car doesn't break down
• Thank God for Aldi's, the inexpensive and "basic groceries only" grocery store
• etc. etc. etc.

How can this be a vocation, a call from God?

Practicing what you preach is a real pain.
As Christians it's easy to witness and be enthusiastic when things are going well. But when things don't go well, is it so easy to witness and be upbeat? No.

Our Lord reminds us that we have many vocations. Our daily life is our sacrificial worship of love (Romans 12:1-6). Our sacrificial worship is revealed in our daily calls. It might be as a teacher, a pastor, a garbage collector, an engineer, doctor, nurse, etc. However, it is more than our "job."

We have many calls or offices we fill: parent, child, employee, cancer patient, hospice patient, tax payer, and yes - even unemployed neighbor.

That's hard to take. However, the acts of mercy, the love we participate in every day includes being faithful in the toughest times. Being a Christian out of work is a call, a vocation. It's the pain and suffering of living in this sinful world (Romans 5:1-5).

Often, the church's saints that we remember are the one's we like to think of as being successful. However, a true saint is any repentant sinner who trusts in the Christ's work of salvation. By faith, the unemployed Christian is an unemployed saint. It is His righteousness in which we trust in the midst of our suffering, our joblessness.

Regularly, we pray "Thy will be done" in the Lord's Prayer. What is God's will? His will is revealed in the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ. The focus of Christianity is a suffering Lamb of God, slaughtered for the sins of the world. Our Baptismal Call is one of service and suffering, the same as Christ's call to ministry.

It's a blessing to be an unemployed Lutheran because we know that Christ has lived my life for me (Philippians 4:19). He has suffered for me. He has given up everything and gives me everything. He went through hell for me and rose from the dead for me. He gives me the victory over sin, death, the devil, and unemployment.



"I am the resurrection and the life."

  Our Suffering Savior will give you the same strength and perseverance to be faithful whether you are employed or unemployed. He will send His angels to guard and protect you in the midst of your "hellish" situation. His grace and mercy is great than your depression, pain, or suffering you go through while being unemployed (Philippians 4:11-14).

I pray that we all learn from our suffering and pain, for God's Word does what it says it will do (Matthew 6:11). Our suffering and pain produces stronger trust in Christ has done for us. He will, as he always does, work everything - even unemployment - out for our best and strengthens our faith.


A Common Scenario

Unemployed: "Oh, sure, pastor, it's easy for you to say that."
Pastor: "It is God's promises, not mine."
Unemployed: "You don't know what I and my family is going through."
Pastor: "Maybe, but Christ knows exactly what you are going through. His suffering is your suffering and suffering for the sins and pain of the whole world.
Unemployed: (walking away and under his breath): "Ya, right, Jesus didn't pay my mortgage." 

Being unemployed is painful and brings many feelings and thoughts. It's very easy to give up or think God doesn't understand. Or, maybe He doesn't hear our prayers?

Like any calling, the easy and hard ones, yes, unemployment is a call, a call to share in Christ's suffering and sacrifice (Matthew 26:39). He will use unemployment to strengthen us and those around us (2 Timothy 2:3). Even if it doesn't feel like it. It's His Word, not your pastor's words that count. Your pastor only passes on what God gives him (Luke 1:2). Others, especially your family will look to you to learn how to suffer and maybe even how to be unemployed. They will see our faithfulness in Christ's promises of forgiveness and strength to pray, "Thy will be done."

His will is forgiveness for the penitent baptized unemployed person. His will is to give you bread rather than a stone (Matthew 7:9-11). His will is a life of resurrection in the presence of His body and blood at church. Our peace and comfort is in Christ, not in us. Our past, present, and future is secure as given in our resurrection in the sacramental life, until life everlasting (Revelation 11:15-18).

Yes, even pastors are unemployed. I've been waiting for a call for over year. Thankfully, the Lord has provided month after month, day after day. Practicing what I preach isn't fun, it's only comforting. In the 20+ years of pastoral ministry in the US or Kenya, I know of no one who enjoys the cross. I doubt Christ enjoyed the cross.

Knowing and trusting that the Heavenly Father continues to bring all of creation to provide for me is also His presence in the world. Christ is my righteousness, my salvation, and continues to provide my family's daily bread.