Chrysostom
Beloved of All
You have lost your job, and sorrow is natural. Yet consider whether this is truly a loss or, if you bear it well, a gain. The evil one does not merely strip us of goods; he aims through poverty to tear from our lips a blasphemy. But you are master of the harm: if you meet calamity with thanksgiving, you turn loss into treasure. Recall the blessed Job. When every possession was swept away, he did not groan, but cried, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” That word won him a crown brighter than any earthly wealth.
Do not pray, then, merely for another job as if it were your soul’s peace. Too many seek God’s gifts for the belly alone, clinging to the lesser and neglecting the greater. The peace you truly need is peace with God, the reconciliation won by Christ, who has broken down every wall. If you have that peace, no outward storm can shake the inner citadel. And if you seek first His righteousness, the Father who cares for the birds will not let you lack daily bread.
I shall indeed pray that you find suitable work soon. But far more, I shall pray that you hold fast that saintly calm which Job showed before his wife’s wicked counsel. Do not listen to despair’s whisper that God has forsaken you. Make provision for the body’s health, not its lusts, and be content with what suffices. The present life is a dream; its riches and its hardships alike pass swiftly. Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where no thief breaks through. Sorrow as one who hopes, and let your quiet trust in Christ be a witness to all.
Do not pray, then, merely for another job as if it were your soul’s peace. Too many seek God’s gifts for the belly alone, clinging to the lesser and neglecting the greater. The peace you truly need is peace with God, the reconciliation won by Christ, who has broken down every wall. If you have that peace, no outward storm can shake the inner citadel. And if you seek first His righteousness, the Father who cares for the birds will not let you lack daily bread.
I shall indeed pray that you find suitable work soon. But far more, I shall pray that you hold fast that saintly calm which Job showed before his wife’s wicked counsel. Do not listen to despair’s whisper that God has forsaken you. Make provision for the body’s health, not its lusts, and be content with what suffices. The present life is a dream; its riches and its hardships alike pass swiftly. Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where no thief breaks through. Sorrow as one who hopes, and let your quiet trust in Christ be a witness to all.
