Response to First Week of Advent Question

“Although this experience occurred over 25 years ago, it is still very vivid to me. There was a job opening in the place where I was working. I felt very confident in applying for the position because of my personal and professional qualifications. Although I did not have the advance degree that was desirable, I was going to night school to obtain it so felt that would not be an obstacle. Obtaining this job would have set me on the career path I was seeking. I knew the only other person who applied for the position. While she had the necessary degree, she did not have the personal and professional qualifications so I felt quite confident that I had the job in the bag. I was devastated the day the announcement was made that I was not the person chosen for the position – especially since others were also aware of the above factors. It was a kind of public humiliation.

However, that evening as I was trying to sleep, I experienced an overwhelming presence of Jesus that I had never experienced before or since. There was not a sense that everything was going to be fine because something better was on the horizon. But there was just an overwhelming sense on His part of understanding and comfort regarding what I was experiencing. I was astonished that his relatively insignificant event prompted this kind of response on the part of Him.

As I have tried to reflect on the theme of “Giving Hope to Others” this experience has continued to surface. Perhaps the point of bringing hope is not to give a false sense that if we can just wait it out, things will get better and justice will prevail. I now think bringing hope might just be offering support so we can open ourselves to the unfailing support and strength that God provides in the midst of trials and injustice. Hope does not necessarily change the situation – it simply refocuses our energies.

P.S. No – in practice, the person chosen was not able to meet the job requirements and was eventually replaced. But the experience of the Lord has been more significant to me than the fact that the “right” decision was perhaps not made. There is a saying that “God writes straight with crooked lines” – believing this might be the road to hope. ”