My workplace is in the initial phases of a major top-down reorganization. There are plans in place to move organizations from our level to the higher headquarters to consolidate functions and optimize personnel resources. It has been stressful to see this much change happening.

Has this ever happened to you? Have you worked for a company that was bought out, went out of business, or was downsized? Is your branch moving across the country to a less-than-ideal location? As a member of a church staff, has your ministry position ever been cut due to budget constraints?

I have faced a couple of those situations myself years back. As a Christian, going through this kind of job insecurity can be a real test of your faith in God.

Let me share some biblical principles that apply to this topic, a good example from the Old Testament that might encourage, and some personal wisdom to better prepare readers for when this happens in the future or to help them recover from it if they are in the midst of it now.

Biblical Principles

In Genesis 3:17-19, we see that work was cursed to be more difficult than it was designed to be due to Adam’s sin. Thorns and thistles would grow like weeds, choking out what we are growing to feed our families. From that point forward, work would be frustrating, disappointing, painful, exhausting, and unpredictable. I believe that the uncertainty of our employment status is part of that curse.

The Apostle Paul often struggled to make ends meet. His work as an apostle to the Gentiles brought in some financial support, but he had to supplement giving from churches by making tents. (See Ac. 18:3.)

He knew the God he served was present with him, so he was able to teach others to deal with these kinds of trials: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:11-13).

We are exhorted in Hebrews 13:5 to “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Notice the intentional connection between being content by resting in God’s promises to provide for all of our needs, even when times are tough, and a reminder about the omnipresence of God.

One more concept comes to mind. We don’t know what vocational plans God has for us. James 4:13-15 asks us to consider, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'”

An Old Testament Example

Job found himself out of a job. Due to the devil’s testing, Job’s livelihood, as well as his family and his health, were taken from him. I would submit for your consideration that he had a solid theology of work. He knew his calling. He worked hard to support his family. He was grateful for the blessings God had provided.

In the blink of an eye, it was all gone. Though his assets were taken from him, he was still secure in his relationship with God. His first statement after his livestock and children were taken was this: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Jb. 1:21).

In the end, all of his wealth and inventory were restored to more than what he had before. James commends how he held on to his faith in God’s promises despite his uncertain future (Jam. 5:11).

Some Practical Wisdom

I spent the past thirty-nine years working for the Army, either on active duty as a chemical operations specialist, a lessons learned integration analyst contractor, or a Department of the Army civilian operations officer. When my enlistment contract was up, I reenlisted. When my contract was going to expire in two years, I started looking for more permanent employment. I never had to worry about reductions in force, getting kicked out of the Army, or being fired from my position.

However, I did deal with my own job security issues during a sixteen-month miserable season as a recruiter. If I continued to be unsuccessful beyond my initial nine-month transition, training, and evaluation program, my career would be negatively impacted, making it harder to get promoted to the rank of a senior noncommissioned officer. I knew that God could either get me through it or get me out of it. Thankfully, my chain of command agreed it was better to send me back to the Chemical Corps, where I could make more valuable contributions.

If you are in a season of uncertainty regarding your job, i.e., experiencing a merger, hostile takeover, going out of business, being reorganized, downsized, and/or facing a potential loss of income and identity, here are some things to consider from a biblical and theological perspective:

• God is faithful; He will provide for you and your family
• Look at this as an opportunity to trust God and grow in your faith
• God will close some doors in order to open others you may never have considered
• Cast a wide net: don’t limit yourself to looking for work in your hometown or jobs that allow you to use your college degree; think outside the box
• God has a way of working all things out for the good of those who belong to him

Although it is not a good idea to settle on marrying someone who is less than a perfect fit, it is okay to settle for a job that is not quite ideal. A marriage is a lifetime commitment; a job is not. If you need to take a temporary job to pay the bills for a while as you look for a more permanent solution, by all means, do so.

Closing Thoughts

Work is always going to be harder than we expect. Major job changes can cause us to be anxious about our loss of income or make us afraid of the unknown. The only thing we can do is to remember that God is with us and has promised to provide for our needs to support our family.

The same God who provided for the Apostle Paul in lean times and restored Job’s business is the same God who loves you and can do all things. He will either get you through the trial or pick you up and deliver you out of it by placing you somewhere else where he needs you to be.

If you have been through this already, you know your faith grew during this uncertain season. God can use you to help others who are in it now. If your job has been stable up to this point, be thankful. Times of insecurity may come to you down the road … The Lord gives, and sometimes the Lord takes away. Regardless, we can say like Job, “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Editor’s note: This article was adapted from the author’s personal blog. Republished with permission.