The current COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of loss over the past several months. People have lost jobs, benefits, homes, family members, friends, etc. due to the ripple effects of the virus. The pandemic has affected everyone in their own way. While some have lost jobs, others have gained more responsibility at work. Some people have been able to work from home, which has caused stress in their home life. Some people have received a higher workload due to the virus, which also creates more stress. The virus has also affected family/work-life balance in that some individuals have to deal with the challenge of going to work but having children at home who must participate in virtual learning. 

Having a job is indeed a blessing, especially during a pandemic. But for some of us, our jobs have caused more pain than pleasure. At a time like this, it is okay to be angry about your job. It is okay to be upset that your job requires a lot out of you even though the country is amongst dealing with a deadly virus. And it is easy to fall into a pattern of negativity and dysfunctional agitation in our everyday lives. Bishop Rosie taught us that to remove that dysfunctional agitation, we must become content. 

Becoming content is an acquired skill, and real contentment begins with your relationship with Jesus Christ (Bishop Rosie O’neal, Contentment). Therefore, be grateful for the God that we serve. Be thankful that we have a good God who will care for us no matter what. God will make sure we are well taken care of (Matthew 6:25-34). So even if the job you have is driving you up the wall, be thankful that you serve a God who will make things happen whether you are employed or not. 

As Pastor Trev has stated in previous sermons, our income is not our source. God is our source. And we can do all things through God because he gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). Be grateful for God’s calling on your life. Some of us may be upset that we still must work during the pandemic or have been given more work to do during the pandemic. But when we look at this from a Godly perspective, this too is a part of His will for your life. God may not allow you to stay at home or allow your work to slow down because God has a purpose for your life. God may be using this time in your life right now to set you up for something greater later. It may seem unfair and difficult to get through, but God does not put us through more than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). 

God has plans for our lives, and they are to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). Be thankful that God sees you as one of his toughest soldiers and believes you are worthy of carrying out the task of performing His will here on earth. Lastly and most importantly, we should be grateful that we have the means to provide in a time where unemployment has skyrocketed. Many people have lost jobs, and now that executive orders have come to an end, people are losing homes and getting evicted. We should be grateful that we still have jobs to go to, even if we do not enjoy them very much. Having a job during this time does not mean that God favors you more than others. It just means that is what is in your season now. 

Our seasons with God can change at any moment. So be grateful for the season that you are in because it will change. We must get used to relying on God in any and every season, not just when it is nice and sunny. That starts with choosing to be grateful today. (Philippians 4:12)

Contributor: K. Wyatt