Let me start by first asking a simple question: Do you believe God has a plan for your life? Now, before you rush to answer, I want you to take a moment and search your heart. Do you really believe, in your heart, God has a plan for you? If you are not sure because of your current circumstances of unemployment or dissatisfaction with life, I have great news for you.

He does (Jeremiah 29:11).

Not only does he have a plan for you, but with the current economic crisis, has not derailed it or stopped it. God is not surprised by changes and events in history. In his sovereignty he works through all of these in order to bring about his will. He has put things in motion, maybe years in advance, in order to meet your needs at this very time. It is times like these when our faith is most fragile while needing to be the strongest. It is in these moments of trials that we have no choice but to let God be God in our lives.

The bible is clear in its message that God will meet our needs. As it is often said, our needs and wants are two different things. There is a great lesson for us in Matthew 6:25-33. Jesus is letting us know we are his and he will take care of us in the same way he takes care of the birds. In verse 26, he says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Note that God is not throwing worms into the birds’ nest—the birds have to go out and work to eat and find their food.

You must not forget that—although God is moving and working—it doesn’t take away the need for you, if unemployed, to work hard at finding your next job. You still have a part to play in what God is doing. Prayer is a big element—going to God daily for direction and opening your heart to him with a willingness to accept his will, whatever it may be. Accepting his will could be the biggest challenge because it may not line up with what you want.

As I think about the people of the bible and the struggles and issues they had to face, they meet it all with amazing faith and trust that it was God’s will, even if it meant death. Every Christian will have to walk into the furnace or spend time in the lion’s den. We live in a fallen world and should not be surprised by that (Romans 8:36). That doesn't mean that God is no longer in control or that the death of Jesus on the cross for our sins has been nullified.

No, like Habbakuk at the end of his long trial and ordeal, we must be willing to say, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer's; He makes me tread on my high places.”

I pray in times of stress, strain, and uncertainty that the words of Habakkuk will be the song of your heart to God.

Nick Reddin is Business Development Manager for Manpower’s Des Moines office. From more from Nick you can visit his blog at www.WorkExposed.com.