Don't Waste Your Recession

Perhaps we're not quite out of that recession after all - now that unemployment has hit a 26 year high. Let's face it - economic downturns are not fun - companies fail, real estate prices plummet and hardworking men and women lose jobs. Yet, even in the midst of financial trials, God is faithfully at work to accomplish His purpose.

Where do you see God at work even in the midst of rising unemployment and financial uncertainty? What is He teaching you?

Here are a few ways that God uses financial trials to instruct our hearts -

1. We learn that wealth is fleeting - nothing like a loss of carefully cultivated nest egg to remind us of how fleeting wealth is ... how temporary its satisfaction. We are provoked to treasure Christ - the promise of the One who never fails, never loses value or beauty. We are reminded to find our joy in Him.

2. We learn to trust God - ever notice how we don't really exercise faith in the midst of prosperity? On the other hand, we are often compelled to turn to Christ when things are not going well..when we lose our jobs or when we're under stress.

3. We learn to testify to the Hope that is within us. We can proclaim the gospel by virtue of our response to the prevailing financial crisis. Instead of fretting over the loss of earthly treasure, we can testify to Christ, the eternal, incomparable Treasure - we can be otherworldly.

Here are a couple of resources on not "wasting" the recession.

Don't Waste Your Recession. by Mark Mullery

What is the Recession For? by John Piper

What have you learned? How has God met you in the midst of this recession?