Answers to your questions about life, religion and the Bible
Pastors get some of the most interesting questions from people they meet and people in their congregations. Here are a few that I have gotten over the years and via email for this column.
Dear Father Paul: I am almost ready to throw in the towel. I was laid off over two years ago. Since then I have worked tirelessly trying to find a job … any job … but have found nothing and have had only a handful of interviews. Few people seem interested in a 52-year-old. I have spent all of my savings, maxed out unemployment compensation and cashed out almost all of my 401-K retirement fund. Still nothing. I am so discouraged. Any encouragement would be appreciated. — K. M.
Dear K. M. : You join 10 million other Americans, many exactly where you are right now. How sad.
It is about as bad as it gets job wise out there right now, isn’t it? I’m 68 years old and I don’t remember the economy ever being this bad. I think we’d have to go back to the Great Depression era of the 1930s for a comparison. Some so-called experts say that things might get even worse. God forbid!
Frankly, I’d feel a whole lot better about things if I thought our leaders (of both parties) had a clue what to do besides score political points bashing the guys on the other side. Sadly, the system is broken and nobody seems able to put it back into working order. People are tired of broken promises and self serving rhetoric from politicians. I wonder how much worse things have to get before we vote the whole lot out of office from the President down to the most junior member of Congress. Sorry, just venting a little.
I know this isn’t much help to you in your dire situation K. M., but I’m wondering if less apathy and more of this kind of righteous rage on the part of Americans toward our leaders wouldn’t get things moving off dead center, and get the economy moving so you can get a job. As it now stands, in less than one month, the U. S. Government will be unable to pay its bills. No Social Security checks? No pay for our troops fighting overseas? No air-traffic control? No repair to roads and bridges? Nobody seems to know how bad it’ll be after Aug. 2, but we seem dangerously close to the edge of a very high cliff.
Perhaps some good will yet come from this mess. Maybe America and Americans will finally turn back to God, as we did in earlier crisis in our republic’s history. I hope so. God and his ways (not man’s) is the answer … really. As the old country preacher once said, “I don’t know the future, but I know him who holds the future.” Remember this too K.M., No storm lasts forever. This too shall (eventually) pass. I would urge you to consider going back to one of our fine local technical schools and colleges and retraining for the jobs that are out there. I know a young man with little education who could only find menial, dead-end jobs. He took a course learning how to drive the big 18-wheel road rigs and got a good position with good wages and a good future within a few days after completing the class. Many jobs of yesterday are simply never coming back. Be of strong courage K. M. Love and serve God. These words from Romans 8: 28 come to my mind for you … “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Personal to “Preachers Kid”: You are playing with fire and are in dire danger of being consumed by it. Come to your senses. Repent (turn in the opposite direction) now — today — and ask both your heavenly father and your earthly father to forgive you and welcome you back home. They are both waiting with open arms.
Do you have a question or comment? I will try to answer your question in the paper. Email me at paulmassey@earthlink.net
Father Paul Massey is pastor of Church of the Holy Cross in Fayetteville, Georgia. Note to my readers: Church of the Holy Cross, a Spirit-filled, Sacramental Congregation, has just completed renovation and enlargement of its sanctuary. Come, worship with us this Sunday. Information … www.holycrosschurch.wordpress.com.
