How to Lean on Jesus When You’ve Lost Your Job

Coping with job loss is one of life’s challenges, perhaps unparalleled in its ability to test one’s faith. Writing this article seems timely for me, as my husband and I have just experienced this exact scenario. I found out on Thursday that my contract was ending, while my husband was blindsided by termination after a decade of loyal service, the following Tuesday. It hurt.

At the time, it felt like life tossed us right out of the pan and into the fire…placed us square in uncharted, seemingly shark-infested waters to be sure.

No one can argue that losing a job is a time of uncertainty and fear, especially when young children are involved (we have three). In our case, the first domino to fall faith-wise was that we mistrusted that our livelihood was stable.

I think with that in mind, our first lesson to learn was that we placed too much trust and dependence on people. People can and will let us down. We learned that we need to put that energy and trust in Jesus instead. Of course, this takes practice and is easier said than done.

What can feel like the ultimate letdown or betrayal (especially instances where you may have thought of your employers as extended family) can also be an opportunity to deepen your trust in God.

Amid our initial reactions and regrouping, my husband said something that helped me a lot. I’m going to share it in case it helps you, too.

We tend to play it safe in life. We follow the rules, opt for stability over chance, and are exceedingly loyal. Because of these qualities, we likely would have stayed in our dead-end jobs until we die.

Perhaps God allowed the rug to be pulled out from underneath us so that we can realize our full potential. But how do we accept life without the rug?

Leaning on Jesus during this time is and will be our best path to accepting the loss. Below are a couple of ideas that have helped us.

Praying For Guidance and Peace

When you first lose your job, the first step should be prayer. If you’re like me and have a full panic attack first, that’s okay…God gets it, pray next. I’ve found that when I let Him, He helps me breathe through it.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) is my favorite verse, and I find it most helpful when breathing gets hard. It says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

This means when we go to Him with a thankful heart, God hears us and provides a peace that is beyond human comprehension.

God doesn’t expect eloquent monologues. Sometimes, the most productive prayers have been me incoherently blubbering. God hears the unsaid. However, prayer is always an opportunity for us to ask for clarity, wisdom in managing finances, and strength to resist despair.

Regular, honest conversation with God can be a source of immense comfort and stability when everything else feels unstable.

Discerning God’s Plan

After the initial shock wears off, the logical next step is to ask ourselves, “What’s next?” This is where we begin discerning God’s plan. Like my husband said, job loss isn’t always a punishment; sometimes, it’s a redirection.

It’s helpful to remember that God leads His people through transition. Leaning on Jesus makes it less burdensome.

Take the Israelites, for example. God didn’t just free them from slavery in Egypt; He led them.

Exodus 13:21-22 (NIV) states, “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”

While we don’t have a visible pillar of fire today, we can trust that God provides clear guidance through His Word, wise counsel from trusted friends and mentors, and the quiet conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Taking time to read scripture, listen to advice, and reflect, combined with frequent prayer, can illuminate opportunities we hadn’t considered before.

Trusting Him With Future Provision

Perhaps the scariest part of losing a job is the fear of not having enough. The anxiety about bills, food, and the future can be overwhelming. In terms of being a mom, all that feels intensified, as I feel terrified of the possibility that our children could have to go without.

The trick is to remember that they won’t because their parents are working hard to seek solutions, and they are precious in Jesus’ sight. He won’t let them go without.

This is where we must make the intentional choice to trust God with our future provision. Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount illustrates this concept beautifully.

InMatthew 6:26 (NIV), Jesus says, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” This is a direct invitation to let go of anxiety and rest in the knowledge that your Father knows what you need.

Another favorite Bible story of mine is Joseph. Imagine being betrayed by your own sibling. From a human perspective, his life was a series of devastating losses.

God was with him every step of the way, eventually elevating him to a position of power in Egypt. He never became jaded, and the path, while not his preference, allowed him to save his family and a nation from famine.

Genesis 50:20 (NIV) records Joseph’s reflection on his journey, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Joseph’s story illustrates that God can use even the most painful circumstances to bring about a greater good and fulfill His purposes.

We can help God in His provision by seeking new opportunities and managing our resources wisely, while simultaneously having faith that He will open doors and provide for our needs.

Lean on Jesus’ Faithfulness

Losing a job is never easy, but it doesn’t have to be a time of complete despair. We can choose to reframe how we view the proverbial rug, no longer under our feet.

Just as God guided the Israelites and elevated Joseph, I believe He is willing and able to lead us through this difficult time; we need only to lean on Him.

Your job doesn’t define your identity. This is a Western societal construct. Jesus knows who we are; it was determined whilst still in the womb.

Jesus promises to be with us always. Take heart, friends, in His faithfulness, knowing that He has a plan and a purpose for you that extends far beyond your current circumstances. Lots of love and know that I’m praying for you.