I spoke to a friend this week who’s going through a really difficult season – she has a job (2 actually) but needs a better one. She needs the money in order to move her life forward again.
A sparkling new job offer came. The pay was really good. The work sounded really fun. There was just one catch. One small piece of the job would be a really BIG compromise. All that sparkles isn’t always good.
It reminded me of my own journey 14 years ago. I had just moved from Chicago to Seattle. My brother was sick and I wanted to be near him for whatever time he had left. I was camped out in my nephew’s spare bedroom for longer than any of us wanted me to be. I really NEEDED a job to afford a place of my own.
After months of diligent searching 4 job offers were on the table. One of them was a no brainer. Long commute, low dollars, unsatisfying work, so I turned it down. Two of them were in fancy new companies promising big bucks plus stock options with a high return. Both sparkled with worldly appeal. The 4th was solid as a rock. Established company. Stable industry. Doing responsible, worthy, but unglamorous work I really didn’t want to do, for the least amount of pay. But it just wouldn’t go away, no matter how long I delayed my decision, no matter how many “better” opportunities came along, this one persisted.
I was torn. I needed the money bad. Or so I thought. I wanted my slice of the financial frenzy that built sparkly tall glass towers filled with spindly spendy chairs occupied by hip over-paid young people driving really pretty cars. There was just one catch. These companies hadn’t yet really produced anything real.
My gut wouldn’t leave me alone. Something’s just not right, it whispered over the big buck jobs. And the nudge to accept the least glamorous choice just wouldn’t go away.
So I prayed. Asked God to take away the two jobs that sparkled so bright if they weren’t part of His Good Plan for my life.
I kid you not. Within an hour both sparkly companies called to postpone their offers for two months, to the next calendar year. I needed a job NOW. My decision had been made.
Turns out (big surprise : ) God had a Good Plan all along. Within the next handful of months the “dot-bomb” reality check crashed through the Seattle area like a tsunami wave bringing all those glass towers down. Those two job offers and the companies that made them soon vanished in the wake of the storm. All that sparkles isn’t always good. Or even real!
The job I had finally chosen would turn out to be with the only firm in the area that didn’t lay off its Recruiters during the economic crash. Over time my salary increased and the rent on my apartment actually went down! A lot! I had all I really needed and more for the next 4 ½ years.
What I’ve learned is this…
The world (and our enemy) loves to dangle shiny carrots in an attempt to lure us off the path of God’s Good Plan for our lives.
MORE is not always better.
Enough really can be enough.
Our needs are often less than we realize.
Small, simple, and enough are all we really need to begin to live a really Good life.
I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. ~ Psalm 32:8
Lord, give us eyes to see the truth of Your Good Plan for our lives, and the courage to follow it. Help us not to be blinded by all that sparkles along the way. Amen.
QUESTION: Where in your life do you find yourself tempted to chase after the “sparkle”? What if God has a better Plan?
A favor… If this message blesses you, would you please share it with a friend?
Leave a Reply