The federal government, and consequently the State of Arizona, is discontinuing extended unemployment benefits due to an “economic recovery”. One has to wonder what the government is seeing that the citizens aren’t. Sure, jobs have been created but not in numbers near large enough to allow the long-term unemployed to go back to work. And for those lucky enough to find a job, many times it is in a job for which they are far overqualified.

This situation is not one that affects just men or just women or just college graduates. It’s all of us continuing to struggle to make a living regardless of education, race, or gender. The trickle-down effect starts with our senior citizens and continues down the scale as grown children and their children move back in with mom and dad or grandma and grandpa.

It’s hard to feel successful these days when so many are suffering. It’s difficult to maintain self-esteem. It’s tough to have confidence. It’s definitely not easy to keep looking for ways to support and your family when you’ve experience so much rejection and there seems to be little options left. For some of us, now is when it may be particularly hard to keep our faith.

But what better time to reaffirm our faith and become more versed in God’s word than right now? How much more difficult is it to try to survive in today’s tough economy without having God’s support and love on your side?

When you dread waking up in the morning; when you struggle to make it through each day; when you are seeking relief but finding only despair in your soul, remember this: “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5.1 -5).

As the old saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Get into Jesus Christ now and be relieved of your anxiety and despair; only He can give you the peace you seek.

– Candace Morehouse, Church Secretary

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