Grieving Job Loss: Stage 4

Sometimes we find ourselves feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another. But when we experience job loss, these feelings take on an entirely new perspective and meaning.

Stage 4: Depression
I’m never going to get a job. Nobody is looking for someone like me. I don’t have the right skills for any of the available jobs out there. 

This is a normal feeling in any job search. But in the current economic downturn, I don’t know of many people who are not spending a good bit of time in this stage. Let’s face it, people tend to take lay-offs very personally. But we have to remember that it is NOT personal. It is NOT a reflection of our value. It is simply a business decision based on the company’s financial status. Even great candidates are having trouble finding jobs, and it’s difficult to avoid feeling completely overwhelmed by the situation.

Depression is defined as a severe despondency and dejection, accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy, typically with lack of energy and difficulty in maintaining concentration or interest in life. The challenge is getting over these feelings as quickly as possible.

Faith Response
How easy it is to wallow in self-pity. We find ourselves losing enthusiasm followed by disappointment and even depression. But the next step must be renewed enthusiasm. We must find a way to lift ourselves out of our dark funk and re-focus on getting back into the job market. It is during this painful period where we need to find our sense of humor, for that is one of the best antidotes for anxiety and depression. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment.

But the best antidote is to ignite our faith. It is our faith that will carry us through this difficult stage. It is our faith that will remind us that we are God’s children and that we are special, loved, and needed. But we are the ones who need to take that first step.

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

You don’t have to know exactly where you are going, you just need to start walking in order to find your way.

Prayer
Good and gracious God, I am struggling with my feelings and emotions during this difficult stage of my life. I am feeling very low, and my self-esteem has nearly dried up. So I turn to you for help – so that I can see the light that will free me from the darkness. Help me to experience Your light shining within me once again. Give me the wisdom to know how much You love me, and that everything will be just fine if I place my trust in You. Let me turn this depression into an opportunity to find my true self so that I can fulfill the plans that You have made for me. Amen.