I have found that when I criticize others, it always comes back to bite me, generally with me doing the same thing I criticized others about. I guess this is just one way God keeps us humble, and teaches us not to judge a fellow servant. After all, to our own master we stand or fall (Rom 14:4).
I have so many examples of my criticism coming back to bite me, but let me just share one. Last year at this time, I remember talking with a fellow student at Dallas Theological Seminary who was graduating. He was two weeks away from graduation, and when I asked him what he would be doing after graduation, he said he didn’t know.
I remember thinking, “How could you not know? You’ve known graduation was coming! Why weren’t you looking for a job!? How can you allow your wife and kids to live with such uncertainty? Why didn’t you try harder to make simple life decision about a career?” I remember going home and telling my wife about this silly seminary student who was two weeks away from graduation and had no clue what he would be doing afterwards.
Well….now I am in the same boat. I’ve been frantically looking, applying, and praying for a job for well over a year (I started looking even before I had talked with that student). I can’t count the number of applications I have filled out and the number of places I have sent my resume in to. And so far…nothing. I am ten days away from graduation, and have no idea what I will be doing afterwards. My current job (which follows the school year) ends on May 9. I graduate on May 10. I will preach on Sunday, May 11. I have no job as of May 12. I remember that when I came to seminary, I thought it would open a lot more doors for me. Well it has, but so far, all of them have also slammed shut in my face.
I’m sure I could get a job “flipping burgers” but those sorts of jobs won’t provide enough to even pay off my school loan.
It’s a scary place to be, but also a great place, because I am learning to not depend on my degree or my education, but solely on God. He is growing my faith. If/when I get a job, He’ll get all the glory.
I’ll keep you informed!
As long as your loans are government-backed “Direct Loans,” they’ll show mercy and not ask for anything above 20% of your adjusted gross income minus your state’s poverty level. Unless your family of five makes $30,000 after taxes, they’ll allow you to wait before starting to pay. Their mercy lasts for 25 years and then the loan is forgiven (for more info search “direct loans income contingent”). This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be looking for a job, though, so quit blogging and hit the bricks, kid.
Shawn,
Thanks for the tip on the loan. I’ll keep that in mind, but of course, I would rather have a job and be able to pay it off.
I’m looking for a job like crazy, and have been doing so for over a year. My placement counselor is as puzzled as I am as to why I don’t have a job yet. He said that he rarely sees a resume as good as mine from DTS graduates.
I’ve been applying to churches and organizations all over the country, and even a few on the other side of the world.
Do you have any leads I could follow up on?