Christian Advice for Layoffs

Sneak Peak: God’s plans are not yours.

Guess what? I’ve been laid off. I’ll admit it. It has been HARD. I wasn’t given a notice. Letter. Nothing. Just word of mouth. My ex-manager called me and told me the company was shutting down. I couldn't believe it. I just joined the company. I worked hard to get to where I was in my career. Just like that...it was gone.

What?!

My immediate response was to feel my emotions. I felt disappointment. I started a new job that seemed like a good opportunity to promote myself. I felt anger. I left my previous job to chase a better opportunity. I felt fear. I didn’t know what was next. I felt anxious. I knew I’d have to live off my savings and investments. I felt embarrassed. I didn’t want to tell people that I lost my job, especially on LinkedIn. Y’all, I cried. Hard.

God’s Plans Are Not Your Plans

I called my mother and the tears came out. "Mom...I lost my job." It hit deep for me. My mother had to remind me not to let someone else’s failure become mine. She reminded me how God has blessed me throughout my career. He took me from Tampa (with $2000 in my account) to Seattle. That job paid for my relocation. Supporters gathered cash for me. He presented me the opportunity to work at Amazon at 23. He protected me from layoffs—twice. He blessed me with allies and a good manager (we’re still friends) while working at Amazon. He moved me to Dallas. A property manager had kindness in his heart to help me when I landed. He helped lug my boxes (over 50 boxes) and suitcases to my apartment. The apartment I applied for ended up costing $500 less than what I was supposed to get it for. He blessed me with good friends and a good Christian community.

You see, His plans were different than mine. I didn’t see myself moving to Seattle, over 3000 miles away from home. 3090.3 miles to be exact. I wanted to move to the northeast, but the jobs that wanted me wanted me start ASAP, which meant I had to quit grad school. I was two weeks away from earning my masters and they weren’t paying for my relocation. I wanted to stay at Amazon for 5 years and climb my way up to a higher position (and God may send me back, I don’t know). However, I wasn’t getting promoted and I burned myself out. My plan was to work at this company, become a manager, and flex on my LinkedIn how I “made it”. His plan was to get some “grown girl” behavior out of me to grow into a “grown woman”. I “leveled up” as a professional but I needed some maturing and grooming as a person.

While I worked at this company for three months, I grew as a person. I became more patient. I became more understanding. I learned to listen more. I was no longer blind to other perspectives. I learned to take my time. I learned to prioritize my health. I learned not to rush. I learned to push back. I learned when to let go. I had a manger, who coached me, groomed me, and gave me the correction I needed. I am now accepting, as I’m writing this, that my previous job was a season of learning.

God’s Next Move

I know God has something else for me. I know He will put me in a place where I can apply what I learned in my new role. For now, I am giving thanks to Him for what He’s done for me. He’s blessed me with a good home. He’s blessed me with friends that wouldn’t judge me, turn against me, or make fun of me. He’s blessed me with a mother, who is still willing to open her doors for me to start over. I am truly blessed.

This layoff has taught me a lot. I'm going to share some Christian advice for layoffs.

1. Money is fleeting. You can make it and lose it the next day (Proverbs 23:5).

2. Humility is important. God is the one who can give and take away (Luke 14:11).

3. Process the trauma of a layoff—feel your emotions (Psalm 118:5-9).

4. Seek God immediately. He will give you peace (Philippians 4:6-7).

5. Do not make decisions out of fear. It can lead you the wrong way (Jonah 1:1-17).

6. Save your coins. Seriously. After each paycheck, set some aside (1 Corinthians 16:2).

7. Live within your means (Hebrews 3:5).

8. You will learn who your real friends and family are when you face hardships (Proverbs 17:17; Job 2:8-9).

9. Get on unemployment. SNAP (food stamps). Payment plans. Whatever you need. Income This is where humility comes in.

10. Be prepared to be laid off. Based on trends, layoffs are becoming the norm. Keep your resume, cover letters, LinkedIn, portfolios, ChatGPT, whatever you use--keep it updated (Proverbs 27:12).

11. Take the time during the layoff to be productive. Apply for jobs, network, focus on passion projects, up-skill, reconnect with God, make your bed up, and/or exercise (Proverbs 31:13-18).

Have you experienced a layoff? What did you do? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Remember, I want my website to be a safe space for fellowship. No profanity, shaming, cancelling, misusing scripture, or negativity.

- Brittany