How to strengthen your spirit after job loss

Job loss can cause you to question your faith. Journaling is a safe way to express your hopes and fears.

The transition after job loss can be tough on your spiritual health. One tool that has helped me during transition is journaling. And it’s not some new-fangled idea.

I regard King David from the Bible as a spiritual journaler. You may remember David from the David and Goliath story.

David started out as the run of his family. The youngest, David was left to care for the sheep while his seven older brothers did more exciting exploits. But God looks at the heart and chose David to be the future king of Israel. Here’s how the story begins.

At his father’s request. David took food supplies to his brothers stationed at the battlefield. The giant Goliath had delivered an ultimatum: Send someone to fight me and the winner takes all. No one wanted to go. Not the king. Not David’s brothers.

But David knew God would help him to defeat the giant, so he volunteered. He declined the offer to wear King Saul’s armor. Instead, he chose his familiar weapon, a humble slingshot. David tumbled Goliath with a single stone and got to marry the king’s daughter.

Later, the king became jealous of David’s ongoing success and sought to kill him. And David had to flee for his life. You could say that David experienced job loss. His career trajectory plummeted from top warrior and king’s son-in-law to No. 1 Most Wanted Fugitive.

David’s spiritual journaling still inspires today

David wrote many psalms, or Hebraic-style poems, throughout his life, including his years of hiding from King Saul. He wrote with complete honesty.

Psalm 142 was written during his time fleeing from King Saul.

“I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and behold, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me: no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou are my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.”

Psalm 142 KJV

At another time in his life he wrote Psalm 13. This psalm is an example of how sometimes when we write, we start out feeling the pain, the rejection, the hopelessness. But then we begin to feel the hope.

“How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”

Psalm 13 KJV

When David wrote his psalms, he could not have imagined that his words would bring comfort to people centuries later. Psalm 23 is another psalm by David that encourages me when I feel overwhelmed.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

Psalm 23 KJV

Our spiritual health, like our physical health and mental health, can take a beating during job loss transition because uncertainty can drain us. Journaling allows you to strengthen yourself. To find hope after job loss.

How to get started

You don’t need to journal in poetry style because David did. Or in Elizabethan English because I chose the King James Version. No, just write from your heart. David, despite his trails and failings, was known as a man after God’s own heart.

Journaling can be a prayer to God.

You can write: Dear God, I need you today. I am struggling with >>>

Don’t be afraid to be honest. God understands your frustration, disappointment, confusion, anger. You can just say it as you feel it because He is big enough to handle it. Pour out your heart to God. Sometimes the act of releasing our pain to God can bring us hope.

When you write, remember to:

• Write for yourself, not your English teacher. This is not a school assignment. You will not be graded.
• Write quickly, without edits. Don’t worry about grammar. Punctuation. Penmanship. Spellcheck. Just write what comes to mind.
• Date your entries. This allows you to see changes in your feelings and thoughts throughout your journey.
• Destroy your entries or not. You can remove, shred or burn entries. Some people experience a sense of healing in that. Others prefer to keep entries. There is no right or wrong way to handle journal entries. You decide what works best for you.

Redeem your pain through journaling

Often, you cannot see the way in your transition after job loss. You might be blinded by the pain. Writing about your situation can allow God to work through your words and help you to find hope in Him.

Remember, David’s “job loss” and other life crises inspired many psalms that comfort people today. Don’t underestimate God’s ability to redeem your pain. Set aside time to journal or to write your thoughts to God today.

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