Your protective shade!

The LORD Himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121 : 5

I know it has been a very long time since I have sent God’s Word to you. Since this is the first email in 2014, I have been waiting to send you either my personal testimony or one of my friends’ testimonies. I have drafted several emails, but didn’t send anything. Today, I am not able to keep quiet when I think about what God has done for me over last weekend. If it is God’s will I will meet you again with a wonderful testimony of my friend, while I am sending mine to you now.

Many of you know a bit about me. I traveled onsite in the year 2010 and returned to India for good in July, 2013. I got married in August, 2013 (this itself is a separate testimony) and started going to office from September, 2013. Since I had my visa valid for 2 more years I had been asked to take up an onsite assignment and was not offered a project at offshore. I had some concerns in traveling onsite. So I could not accept any project they offered me. This went on for about 5 months. One day came when the company which I served for more than 7 years wanted me to either accept what they offered or to quit, which was very shocking to me. On the same day I resigned my job having no other offer in my hand. My last working day was 31^st January, 2014.

For ladies (at least for me), things like career aspiration, passion to learn, etc… change upside down after marriage. I was not mentally prepared to attend interviews. Though my family supports me in anything I underwent, I personally felt that the Lord has let me down, failed me and forsaken me. Though I believe God’s promises are true and God is good all the time, all things work together for good, there is nothing that his children lack, blah blah,… I know I was moving very fast toward unbelief. I kept worrying about the past job for which I worked so hard, for which I rarely ate and slept over the past years. I could not forget all the rewards and recognitions I received. Maybe I was over confident on my job. But once I was out for a week without job and without the confidence to face any interviews, I realized how thankful I had to be to God for a job that kept me busy or weary all the time.

Let me come to the actual story. Last weekend I attended an interview in a BI tool which I don’t like. While waiting for the technical round, I thought why they kept me waiting for a long time, rather than to finish my round, so I could attend interviews at other companies on the same day. There was no hope in me that I would do well. Rather reading guides, I went through some videos. I didn’t even take any notes with me to the venue as I thought preparing would not help me anyway.

I was called for the technical round. A person interviewed me over the telephone. To my surprise, he asked only what I knew. There is at least 90% of the stuff in that tool that I don’t know. I could realize that it was God who was with me in each and every question he asked, which gave me courage. I didn’t fear anymore. This round was over after 50 minutes. How in the world an interviewer could ask questions only around what I know and could declare that I was so strong technically?!!! It was not possible at all in my sight. But God made it possible. I got selected in the next round also even after I said them that I no longer belonged to any company.

Maybe today, job doesn’t matter to you, but something else bothers you. I want to encourage you that the God who was with me and who spoke for me in a circumstance which I was afraid to face, is all powerful to do what you are concerned about. The world may expect you to be extraordinary, but we are ordinary people doing extraordinary things, just because of the extraordinary God whom we serve. The company that you serve with utmost sincerity and hard work may throw you out any time. The one you love can leave you for no reasons. But God, who longs to be with us who keep saying, “I am busy with the work, Lord. Let me get back to you as soon as I can” or “I have my family and friends waiting for me. How can I disappoint them? But I know you can wait for me” or “Lord, I don’t want to be with you as I know I cannot leave certain things behind which you don’t like” or “You have not answered my prayers. Why should I listen to you?” or “Lord I sinned against you. I am not able to face you” or <You add so many ORs here>…, can never leave you nor forsake you. He does care about every single detail in your life. Whatever bothers you bothers Him as well! The things you are running behind will leave you unattended someday, whereas the Lord whom you are supposed to follow runs behind you to seek your attention and to make you a beautiful vessel in His hand.

By the way, my belated New Year wishes to you! May the Lord be your protective shade this year and keep you from all evil.