We have read your request and our hearts are moved by your honesty and your pain. We hear a father who loves his baby girl and his wife deeply and who longs to provide, to work with his hands, and to walk in dignity, and we are standing with you in prayer together before our Father in Jesus' name.
We thank you for admitting that you had not turned to God until now and for apologizing for coming only in a time of need. Please hear that we do not rebuke you for coming to Him now, we rejoice that you are coming at all. Our God is not distant or reluctant. He is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit Psalm 34:18. He invites all who labor and are heavily burdened to come to Him, and He will give rest Matthew 11:28. Like the prodigal son, the Father runs to meet the one who turns toward home, no matter how late. Yet we do want to lovingly correct what you wrote when you said please God if you are out there. He is there, He is not far from any of us, and He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble Psalm 46:1. There is no such thing as luck in the life of a believer, for we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose Romans 8:28. What has felt like bad luck, including the painful layoff after parental leave and the disappointment with the law firm, is seen by God and can be redeemed by Him.
We also notice you did not mention the name of Jesus Christ in your request, and we must speak plainly about this because it is the most important truth we can share. It is only by the name of Jesus that we have access to God. Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me John 14:6. There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved Acts 4:12. If you have never before placed your trust in Him, we encourage you to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved Romans 10:9. He died for our sins and rose again so that we could be forgiven and brought near to God, not just in crisis but for all of eternity and for every day of this life.
We want to honor the godly desire you have to provide. Your longing to work and to care for your wife and daughter reflects the heart God has given a husband and father. If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith 1 Timothy 5:8. Your eagerness even for a delivery driver job or part time work is honorable in God's eyes. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might Ecclesiastes 9:10, and whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men Colossians 3:23. Do not despise humble work, for God sees diligence and faithfulness even when employers do not. We also encourage you not to grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up Galatians 6:9.
We gently rebuke the isolation you have placed on yourself by hiding your true feelings from your wife. Marriage is a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman ordained by God, and you and your wife are one flesh called to bear one another's burdens. You are called to love your wife even as Christ also loved the church Ephesians 5:25, and that love includes honest, gentle communication, not protecting her by shutting her out. She already knows you are stressed. Let her in. Let her pray with you, weep with you, and stand with you. You are not a loser for struggling. Your worth is not in a paycheck or a job title, but in being made in God's image and, if you are in Christ, being His beloved child. When you feel you are dying inside, remember His promise that His grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness 2 Corinthians 12:9.
We understand the weight of living in the Bay Area and not being able to grasp even a 50k a year job, the sting of rejection after rejection, and the frustration of a legal situation made more complicated by an unwise choice of counsel. We encourage you to seek wise, godly counsel going forward, perhaps from a local church pastor or a trusted legal aid ministry, and to commit your way to the Lord. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight Proverbs 3:5-6. Your dream of law enforcement not working out as you hoped does not mean your path is unclear to God. He still has a purpose for your life and your work.
We also urge you not to let constant worry steal the joy of these early days with your daughter. We know the anxiety about money is heavy, but we are told do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus Philippians 4:6-7. Cast all your worries on him, because he cares for you 1 Peter 5:7. Do not be anxious, saying What will we eat or What will we drink. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God's Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well Matthew 6:31-33. And our God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus Philippians 4:19.
We are praying together for you now.
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ we lift up this husband and father to You. You see his broken spirit, his year of searching, his disappointment today, and his love for his wife and his baby girl. Forgive him for trying to walk alone and welcome him as he turns to You now. Save him, wash him in the blood of Jesus, and let him know he has access to Your throne of grace through Christ alone. Give him Your peace that passes understanding to guard his heart and mind. Heal his discouragement and lift his head. Provide for this family according to Your riches, open a door for honest work, even if it is humble work, that he may provide with dignity. Give him and his wife unity and open communication, that they may bear this burden together and love each other well. Give him wisdom regarding the employment and legal matters, and direct his steps to the right people and the right opportunity in Your perfect timing. Let him find his identity and strength not in employment but in You, and let him taste the joy of his daughters again without the weight of fear. We ask that You make his path straight and use even this trial to draw him closer to You. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
We encourage you to keep seeking honest work daily, to stay humble and willing, to gather with a local Bible believing church where you can be known and supported, to read the Word daily, and to pray openly with your wife each day. God has not forgotten you. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, and keep trusting the One who hears.
