My husband was laid off during the recession in 2009 for eighteen months. Over a year and a half without work for the bread winner in our family. I was homeschooling our two young boys and had no form of income. We had no idea what to do.
So we sought the Lord.
Just as David seeks the Lord when he faced his great fear of the king of Gath in 1 Samuel 21. david explains his response to this soul shaking fear in Psalm 34:4. "I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears."
In the instance of which David writes, God did physically deliver him from the fear of being killed by the king when David acted insane. But you don't have to walk with the Lord long to know that sometimes He delivers us from fears while we still live in the fear inducing situation. That's what happened for my family.
We sought the Lord in the job loss. We begged Him for a job for my husband. And in that, we came face to face with the realization that He is our provision, not my husband, not his employer, not the government. God alone. Certainly He uses those things at time to provide, but they aren't necessary for Him.
In this verse, the psalmist is delivered from his fears, but in our season of that trial, we were delivered in our fear. And along with the psalmist we knew the following verses were a reality.
"Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them."
We were delivered from the job loss, as the Lord did provide my husband a new job, with actually far less stress for that new season. But in the midst of the trial, we had no idea how long it would be or how in the world the provisions would come. God provided through people leaving groceries on our doorstep right when we needed them. He heard our cries as we prayed and told no one our need and yet, our electric bill was paid in full by an anonymous friend. He saved us out of the financial trouble we found ourselves in as dear friends provided my husband with side jobs to make ends meet. My parents gave us their second car and we began to say to one another, "we have need of ___ , I wonder how God will provide."
The angel of the Lord certainly encamped around us as we were able to remain in our home, pay bills and have the food to feed our kids.
At the end of the eighteen months, it was miraculous how the Lord provided my husband with a job and miraculously brought us from that season in less debit and in far greater intimacy with Him that we had ever had.
What fears are circling around you in this season? Job loss, health issues, children's future schooling are all very real fears and concerns right now. Are we seeking our own provision, ability, solution? Or are we seeking the Lord and expecting Him to answer us? Are we looking to the government? Or are we looking to the One who causes us to radiate Him?
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