Seeking Employment Change and Divine Provision Guidance
Seeking divine guidance for employment changes involves a reliance on God's provision and a commitment to seeking His will. The biblical narrative frequently emphasizes the importance of seeking God early and diligently, particularly in times of need or decision-making [4, 6].
The book of Job, for instance, contains expressions of longing for God's intervention and a desire for Him to grant one's requests (Job 6:8) [1]. Eliphaz, one of Job's friends, suggests that in times of affliction, one should "seek unto God" through prayer for support, sanctification, and deliverance [5]. This seeking is not merely a passive hope but an active engagement, making it a primary concern [4]. The prophet Isaiah similarly exhorts people to "seek the Lord while he may be found" and to "call upon him while he is near" (Isaiah 55:6), implying a window of opportunity for divine encounter and a posture of casting oneself entirely on God's mercy [6].
This concept of seeking God extends to practical matters, including significant life changes like employment. The story of Abraham's servant seeking a wife for Isaac illustrates a prayerful approach to major decisions, asking for a "natural sign" that aligns with godly character, thereby avoiding tempting God's providence with unreasonable expectations [9]. This suggests that while divine intervention is sought, it should be within a framework of rational and discerning prayer [9].
The Psalms also reflect a deep reliance on God's help and instruction. David prays, "Let thy hand help me" (Psalm 119:173), acknowledging that human efforts are insufficient and all help must come from God's power and bounty [7]. He also petitions for divine instruction, asking God to "teach me thy statutes" (Psalm 119:124), particularly when in doubt or affliction, prioritizing knowledge of duty over expectations of outcomes [8]. This highlights a desire for God's guidance in understanding one's responsibilities during challenging times.
While the concept of predestination speaks to God's overarching plan and purpose for salvation, governing all events, it is also acknowledged that many aspects of God's will remain "secret things" [3]. Therefore, individuals are encouraged to rely on the revealed word of God as their guide [3]. This perspective suggests that while God has a sovereign plan, human beings are still called to actively seek His will and provision through prayer and diligent searching [2, 4].
Sources
- Job ““Oh that I might have my request, that God would grant the thing that I long for, -- Job 6:8”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Examination — Enjoined -- 2Co 13:5. Necessary before the communion -- 1Co 11:28. Cause of difficulty in -- Jer 17:9. Should be engaged in With holy awe. -- Ps 4:4. With diligent search. -- Ps 77:6; La 3:40. With prayer for divine searching. -- Ps 26:2; 139:23,24. With purpose of amendment. -- Ps 119:59; La 3:40. Advantages of -- 1Co 11:31; Ga 6:4; 1Jo 3:20-22.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
- Job (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Job 8:5: seek unto God betimes--early. Make it the first and chief anxiety (Psa 78:34; Hos 5:15; Isa 26:9; Pro 8:17; Pro 13:24).”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 5:8: I would seek unto God,.... Or "truly" (e), "certainly, doubtless, I do seek unto God", verily I do so; for so the words are introduced in the original text, and express what Eliphaz had done when under afflictions himself; for he was not without them, though he had not them to such a degree as Job had; and when he was under them, this was the course he took; he sought unto God by prayer to support him under them, to sanctify them to him, and to deliver him out of them; and this he proposes for Job's imitation, and suggests, that if he was in his case, this would be the fi”
- Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 55:6: The condition and limit in the obtaining of the spiritual benefits (Isa 55:1-3): (1) Seek the Lord. (2) Seek Him while He is to be found (Isa 65:1; Psa 32:6; Mat 25:1-13; Joh 7:34; Joh 8:21; Co2 6:2; Heb 2:3; Heb 3:13, Heb 3:15). call--casting yourselves wholly on His mercy (Rom 10:13). Stronger than "seek"; so "near" is more positive than "while He may be found" (Rom 10:8-9). near--propitious (Psa 34:18; Psa 145:18).”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:173: Here, 1. David prays that divine grace would work for him: Let thy hand help me. He finds his own hands are not sufficient for him, nor can any creature lend him a helping hand to any purpose; therefore he looks up to God in hopes that the hand that had made him would help him; for, if the Lord do not help us, whence can any creature help us? All our help must be expected from God's hand, from his power and his bounty. 2. He pleads what divine grace had already wrought in him as a pledge of further mercy, being a qualification for it. Three things he pleads: - ”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:124: Here is, 1. David's petition for divine instruction: "Teach me thy statutes; give me to know all my duty; when I am in doubt, and know not for certain what is my duty, direct me, and make it plain to me; now that I am afflicted, oppressed, and my eyes are ready to fail for thy salvation, let me know what my duty is in this condition." In difficult times we should desire more to be told what we must do than what we may expect, and should pray more to be led into the knowledge of scripture-precepts than of scripture-prophecies. If God, who gave us his statutes, d”
- Genesis (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Genesis 24:12: And he said, O Lord God, etc. - "The conduct of this servant," says Dr. Dodd, "appears no less pious than rational. By supplicating for a sign, he acknowledges God to be the great superintendent and director of the universe, and of that event in particular; and at the same time, by asking a natural sign, such as betokened humanity, condescension, and other qualities which promised a discreet and virtuous wife, he puts his prayer upon such a discreet, rational footing, as to be a proper example for all to imitate who would not tempt the providence of God, by expect”