Have you ever watched a mystery movie, and the detective says something like, “I didn’t know what was really happening, but then I started ‘connecting the dots,’ and that helped me figure it out”? Using another movie example, I recently watched “The Fountain of Youth,” a movie about, you guessed it, discovering the Fountain of Youth. Throughout the film, the protagonist and his team continuously connected the dots of clues in pursuit of their quest.
Plainenglish.com tells us “Connect the dots” is a metaphor that refers to a person’s ability to see the relationship between different events or pieces of information.” If you’re unemployed or unfulfilled, you’re on a quest of your own – – to get the right job or find fulfillment in your work. To effectively accomplish this goal, you’ll need the ability to connect the dots with people, places, events, and information.
Understanding God’s Sovereignty in Everyday Life
The foundational premise for how I believe God helps us connect the dots starts with God’s sovereignty. Here are a few Scriptures that led me to that belief:
- Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
- Ephesians 1:11 – “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
- Job 42:2 – “I know that You can do all things; no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”
- Isaiah 46:10 – “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.”
- Psalms 115:3 “Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him.”
Biblical Examples of God Connecting the Dots
Additionally, the Scriptures give us story after story where God divinely puts people into places where He can use them for His purposes, through no specific aspiration or work of their own:
- David – Became skilled with a sling and used it to triumph over Goliath
- Esther – Went from being just a Jewish immigrant to becoming the Queen of Persia. We’re told she was there “for such a time as this”
- Joseph – Sold to the Egyptians as a slave and became a ruler who saved the country and his family from famine
- Peter – A simple fisherman who followed Jesus to become a fisher of men
- Rahab – A harlot who helped hide the Israeli spies in Canaan. She is recorded in the genealogy of Jesus Christ
- Roman centurion – Labeled with “great faith” by Jesus, he knew that Jesus was capable of healing his servant
I could go on and on. BUT, perhaps you’re like me and occasionally happen to think, “Yeah, but those verses and stories are in the Bible and from the past!! How does God sovereignly work today?!? In MY life?!?” Anybody else have that question? If so, read on. 🙂
Our pastor likes to say, “The ways God worked in the past is still how He works today.” Yet He works uniquely in each of our lives through millions of the moments that comprise our daily life. I say uniquely, because when I look through the Bible, I don’t see any of God’s workings duplicated among His people. In other words, what God did with David wasn’t how He worked with Moses, which was different than Andrew, which was yet again different than Paul. I believe the same is true with each of us today.
Dr. Tim Sprankle, pastor of Leesburg Grace Church, developed an acronym which I think summarizes how God is continuously at work in all of our lives. The big question is whether we will do our part in recognizing His work as we follow His leading. Here’s a quick summary of Dr. Sprankle’s tool for us to discern and share with others how God may be at work in our lives (read more on this here). For me, it’s a great way to answer the question, “How is God at work in my life and / or the life of others?”
How God Works In Our Lives
L -Lessons
What are the life lessons God is teaching you through your circumstances? For example, if you consistently find yourself working too hard and then crashing and burning, God may be teaching you to spurn self-sufficiency and rely on Him alone.
O – Opportunities
This refers to the doors in your life that God is either opening or closing. Notice the ways God alters the paths you can take. Has a relationship ended? Did you receive a job offer?
C – Challenges
These are the struggles where nothing seems to change no matter what you try. Ask yourself: What kinds of challenges are you facing, and how is God working through them? How do you naturally react to them? What is the response God desires you to have?
A – Answers
How does God respond to your prayers? Pay attention to the instances, no matter how minute, where your prayers are fulfilled. While we may struggle with thanking God for answering our prayers, we often can’t even identify when He has in the first place.
T – Truth
This refers to truths that God teaches you through the study of His Word. Sprankle distinguishes truth from life lessons in that truth refers exclusively to what we learn from Scripture and biblical counsel, while life lessons are more general.
E – Echos
A “sacred echo” is a theme in your life that continually emerges. For example, if you receive the same advice or hear the same Scripture from trusted believers, God may be speaking through an echo.
Seeing How God Shows Up
Here’s are a few examples of where I’ve seen elements of this tool show up:
- One Sunday I heard a sermon which was based on a certain passage of Scripture. On Monday, the YouVersion Verse of the Day “happened” to be from the same passage I had heard in the message on Sunday. That same day, I turned on the radio to a Christian station and heard a broadcast featuring, guess what, that same Scripture verse! Yep, God’s triangulation at work, so these dots connecting prompted me to reflect more about that verse.
- For some missions work I’m currently involved in with Athletes In Action in Moldova, God has connected multiple dots with Scriptures, people I’ve been introduced to, concepts and tools being reinforced, and new ideas springing out from adjacent topics. Not accidental, arbitrary, random, or coincidence. His sovereignty! I feel like I’m following a trail of breadcrumbs leading to the right answers in the right timing.
- From a career perspective, I’ve seen God opening up doors and windows throughout times when I’ve been unfulfilled or unemployed. Sometimes it’s been His word leaping off the page to me. Other times, it’s been an introduction through networking that leads to different paths. Most of the time I didn’t see these dots very clearly, but just kept moving while yielding to the Holy Spirit and asking for direction through prayer.
In addition to what I’ve shared so far, I also believe that when we’re expectant and anticipating God to be at work, we’ll actually notice more of what He is doing. I’m not talking about us falling into a neurological Frequency Illusion (which stipulates that when we notice something new, we believe it occurs more frequently than it does), I’m talking about the reality of yielding to the Holy Spirit and His promptings providing illumination on the path for us to follow.
After all, throughout Scripture, Jesus told His disciples to simply, “Follow Me.” And His direction for us as His children is no different. But I’ve also found it very easy for me to create my own direction. To veer off track into multiple rabbit trails away from His leading. BUT, when I’m looking to LOCATE (see acronym above) Him, every time He allows me to get right back into step with Him again. After all, He’s a loving Father who incredibly loves me. And you!!
How to Apply God’s Guidance in Your Job Search
Ok, so let’s get more specific on how all of this might apply to you being unfulfilled or unemployed.
1. LOCATE – This acronym tool encapsulates quite a bit, including staying grounded upon the foundation of God’s word.
2. Networking – Believing the reality of His Sovereignty changes our thought habit about the process of networking. Since every networking meeting IS a divine appointment, shift your thinking to approach it as such. EVERY person you meet, no matter their role or station in life, could be a dot for you to connect in your journey. (click here for more on networking)
3. Unique Distinction – Yes, I’m hitting this every chance I get (click here to read more), as I consistently see Purpose Seekers and Job Seekers NOT presenting themselves as effectively as God has equipped them. They are not highlighting the key features of who they are and what they’ve done for other people to assist them in connecting dots.
4. Reflection – We don’t necessarily learn from what we experience, but when we deliberately reflect upon that experience. Going back to LOCATE each day to reflect upon who God has introduced you to, in the context of Scriptural truth and prayer, enables your eyesight to be that much more in tune with what God is showing to you.
5. Exploring – As a Seeker, exploration is a necessary GIFT you need to give yourself. Otherwise you’ll easily wind up doing what you’ve always done and expecting different results (Insanity anyone?). (Click here to read more here)
Mark Batterson, pastor and author of the book, “Whisper,” uses 1 Kings 19:11-12 as the basis for his entire book. It says, “The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”
Batterson points out that when someone whispers to us, we usually lean in to hear what is being said more clearly. We’re quiet and still to be fully present and listen.
Trust God While You Connect the Dots
As you’re going through job transition, are you fully listening and looking? I’d like you to consider something: What if everything that has happened to you has prepared you for your greatest work ahead? What if all those seasons that seemed “random” were actually God’s hand guiding and preparing you for the work He has ahead for you? (HINT: It’s true! Ephesians 2:10)
My prayer for you is that as you begin to connect the dots of God’s work in your life, you’ll get a glimpse of how He has been working behind the scenes, and now perhaps in front of you, for His glory and your good. Blessings!
Dave Sparkman currently serves as the volunteer Crossroads Career board chair and local ministry leader. He is also the founder and managing director of Spark Your Culture, a corporate culture consulting firm. Prior to that he worked at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune #5 public company, serving in the role of Chief Culture Officer. His unemployment experience came from the implosion of Arthur Andersen, where he served as the West Region Managing Partner, People.
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