Time for this blog has been rare as of late since I've been actively searching for steady work since January. It becomes hard to focus on other pleasures in life if one is in a difficult place. This trial of unemployment has been at the same time an opportunity for reflection on both the nature of finding work and how I end up spending my time.
Nature of Work
Being productive and earning reward is somehow wired into us. When we find ourselves unable to earn, we become frustrated. Perhaps it is the American way to be able to stand on your own two feet and make your own way without anyone's help. While we my view our lives in this way, it could not be farther from the truth.
Our culture also emphasizes on how much output a person produces. A worthwhile member of society is someone who is productive. I know even I myself will judge another person by how much they work or the nature of their work. To me at least a doctor seems like a better human because the nature of their work requires a very specific, hard to acquire skill. They also contribute to the health of society which to me is a worthwhile "product". Which is to say that the value placed on that "product" is higher than others.
Nature of Unemployment
It is like wearing a badge of shame at times to be unemployed and actively looking for work. The temptation is to try to find something at fault with the person, especially if you are the one unemployed. This may be because we feel so defined by the work we do or the jobs we hold. It can become our identity. Losing that identity becomes a source of discouragement. It is easy to forget something of great importance.
Perspective
God does not identify us by the job we hold or how much money we earn or even how many hours we put into a job. It is so easy to lose sight of this when happily employed or when desperately looking. I've had trying days during this time where I did not even want to get up out of bed. What was the point? I had no plans for the day. No job to do. But I had to get up. And it was by the hand of God that I would get out of bed, drink a breakfast shake, and spend some time trying to find work or finding time to go to a daily mass or sit out on my porch and pray a rosary.
It is enough to our Lord that I just be. During this time I've had a few powerful revelations. Well powerful to me at the time. The first is the reassurance that God is more concerned with who I am and not what I do. And also that God ultimately wants me to be happy.
In the Legion of Mary, our spiritual director said once: God weeps at our suffering.
It is easier to think that God is a god of wrath and that suffering is a form of punishment. I had never thought of God weeping, but it makes sense. Christ shared sorrow and joy with the people around him, he would do the same for us. At the same time, Christ also laughs with us and gives us the strength to bear the weight of our crosses.
Pruning
I know at least for me this is an OBVIOUS pruning. A couple weeks ago the gospel talked about how God was the caretaker of the vineyard and even good branches must be pruned to bear more fruit. Since I have so much "free time", it would make sense that I have more time to draw closer to God and develop some of my virtues. (Well, I have my good and bad days. :))
My faith is growing and also my trust. It is only when our trust in God is challenged that we can grow in it. My brother, who has recently landed a steady job (God be praised), had been long unemployed or under-employed. He lived off the generosity of others while looking for work. At times getting a little frustrated with God, because he had trusted him.
This is a way to shake us out of lukewarmness which is definitely something I struggle with. Once I hit "good enough" I'll stop until motivated. But I also get "mad" because I can not see the eternal plan and my suffering right now doesn't make complete sense. I can only GUESS.
Nature of the Hunt
Now all this ties into how job searching and landing a job has changed over time. I've taken classes on job hunting and find myself its student quite often. In the entertainment industry, the saying is: It's who you know. That will land you a job.
There are many techniques the utilize to better your rate of success: Networking, Marketing Yourself, and Experience. However even with all these techniques there is NO GUARANTEE.
One of the great lessons I'm relearning is that any job I've landed was through Divine Providence. I moved over a thousand miles to a strange town where I knew no one and landed my first job in 8 weeks thanks to being proactive and blessings from God. Now my network is a little wider, I'm making all the right moves, but I'm still unemployed. So I have put my faith on the line and my trust in God...and trust in my friends.
For all those seeking employment, I highly recommend praying to St. Joseph the worker. And for those getting quite desperate asking St. Jude or St. Rita for a little help may do you some good.
Also don't be afraid to ask anyone for prayers.
St. Joseph, Pray for us.
