In April, 2015, I came to Japan, a beautiful country which I had been longing for for a long time. Seeing the good environment and citizenship here, I was eager to find a job, so that I could reside here.

Later, a senior told me that it was difficult for foreigners to find jobs in Japan, but if they obtained the Real Estate Certificate, it would become much easier. So, after graduating from language school, I chose economics as my major without hesitation, for economic students you need systematic occupational training to obtain certificates. After a period of hard work, I finally passed the examination for the Real Estate Notary.

In order to make my resume impressive and improve my chances of employment, besides the Real Estate Certificate, I also obtained many other certificates. I thought, “Since I have so many certificates, not only the realty companies but also other companies would want me.” Thinking of this, I felt happy in my heart.

Later, full of confidence, I began to send my resume to some companies to apply for a job. Unexpectedly, all I got was rejections, which made me confused: Aren’t the realty companies hungry for people who have the Real Estate Certificate? I not only meet their requirement, but also have many other certificates and can speak Chinese, which is useful for overseas business; why can’t I even get an interview? To obtain these certificates, I’ve put in a lot of effort. But in spite of this, I still couldn’t find a job. Do I have another chance? At these thoughts, I felt so depressed and had less confidence in finding a job.

Soon, the hiring season had passed. Many companies no longer hired workers, let alone foreign ones. Then I sought help from my teacher in private, but still failed to find a job. Seeing others in my class all found jobs, except another foreign student and me, I felt more anxious, worrying whether I could find a job and stay in Japan.

For the next half a month, I constantly sent out my resume, but still didn’t find a job, during which I lived in worries and pain. I thought, “If I can’t find a job in the end, what should I do?” Realizing my condition was not right, I remembered God. Then I told my condition to the sister who read a passage of God’s words to me, “Some people choose a good major in college and end up finding a satisfactory job after graduation, making a triumphant first stride in the journey of their lives. Some people learn and master many different skills and yet never find a job that suits them or never find their position, much less have a career; at the outset of their life journey, they find themselves thwarted at every turn, beset by troubles, their prospects dismal and their lives uncertain. … Regardless of differences in ability, intelligence, and willpower, people are all equal before fate, which does not distinguish between the great and the small, the high and the low, the exalted and the mean. What occupation one pursues, what one does for a living, and how much wealth one amasses in life are not decided by one’s parents, one’s talents, one’s efforts or one’s ambitions, but are predetermined by the Creator.” The sister fellowshiped, “Our destiny is dictated and arranged by God. What jobs we will do is also already predetermined by God and isn’t based on our own efforts or other conditions. Besides, when we can find a job is also in God’s hands. What we need to do is believe that God’s arrangements always suit us most and experience them calmly.” After hearing the sister, I understood that what job I would do was predetermined by God. In the past, I didn’t know the sovereignty of God, so I wanted to rely on my own ability to obtain a good job, placing my hope on various certificates. When I couldn’t achieve my ideal, I was negative and complaining. My suffering was actually the result of my disobedience to God’s sovereignty. After understanding this, I felt much more relieved.

Later, I read another passage of God’s words, “People spend most of their time living in a state of unconsciousness. They do not know whether they should rely on God or on themselves. They then tend to choose to rely on themselves and the beneficial conditions and environments around them, as well as on any people, events, and things that are to their advantage. This is what people are best at. What they are worst at is relying on God and looking up to Him, because they feel looking up to God to be too much of a bother—they cannot see, they cannot touch—and they feel that doing so is vague and unrealistic. Thus, in this aspect of their lessons, people perform the worst, and their entry to it is the shallowest. If you do not learn how to look up to and rely on God, you will never see God work in you, guide you, or enlighten you. If you cannot see these things, then questions such as ‘whether God exists and whether He guides everything in the life of mankind’ will, in the depths of your heart, end with a question mark rather than a period or exclamation mark. ‘Does God guide everything in the life of mankind?’ ‘Does God observe the depths of man’s heart?’ For what reason do you make these into questions? If you do not truly rely on or look up to God, you will not be able to give rise to genuine faith in Him. If you cannot give rise to genuine faith in Him, then for you, those question marks will forever be there, accompanying everything God does, and there will be no periods.” After reading God’s words, I thought that though I believe in God, I didn’t have true understanding of God’s sovereignty or true faith in Him. In the matter of job hunting, I had never relied on or looked to God to experience His work but relied on my own ability, thinking that since I could speak both Chinese and Japanese and held so many certificates, it wouldn’t be difficult for me to find a job. However, in the end, I couldn’t even get an interview, which made me feel so negative and even deny myself. In fact, God arranging such an environment was for me to rely on Him and experience His work in reality, so that my faith in Him could increase. Knowing God’s intention, I felt gratitude to Him and was willing to entrust my job hunting to Him. Whether I could find a job or not, I was willing to obey God’s sovereignty and arrangements.

The next day, when I was searching for information of employment on the Internet as usual, I suddenly found that a realty company located in downtown Tokyo was hiring foreign students. This job seldom required extra work and provided regular vacations, which would not delay my belief in God or attending meetings. It is really an ideal job for me. Isn’t it prepared by God for me? Then I sent my resume to this company. To my surprise, after a few minutes, they gave me a call and made an appointment with me for an interview. After I hung up, I kept thanking God; when I relied on Him and entrusted my job to Him, He really made a way out for me.

Aside from the excitement, I was somewhat worried. As I was introverted and not good at communicating with others, in the past, every time before the interview, I would recite the answers to the questions which may be asked in the interview in advance. But during the interview, I would forget all I had prepared because of tension and lack of confidence. Since I didn’t make any preparation for this sudden interview, how could I pass it smoothly? Then I remembered these words of God, “The Lord Jesus also wanted people to know that they do not live alone in this world. Mankind has God’s care; God is with them. They can always lean on God, and He is family to every one of His followers. With God to lean on, mankind will no longer be lonely or helpless.” It’s true. Outwardly, I attended the interview alone. In fact, God is always by my side; God is the source of life for all things and He holds sovereignty over all people, events, and things; when I rely on Him, He would lead and guide me on the path ahead. When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, he was not eloquent. However, because of his faith in Jehovah God, he completed God’s commission. At these thoughts, I had strength in my heart. God was my rear guard and reliance; I should learn how to rely on Him.

Before the interview, I prayed constantly to God, asking Him to lead me and guide me to walk the way ahead. Thank God! During the interview, I didn’t feel nervous and could communicate with the interviewer well. Satisfied with my performance, the interviewer told me that I passed and made an appointment with me for the second interview.

On my way home, I sang hymns all the way, happy and released. Thank God! Through this experience, I truly felt that God was right by my side; when I relied on and looked to Him, He practically led me by His words, which was not vague at all. Since then I had better faith in God.

The second interview was quickly followed by the third one in which there would be two department leaders interviewing me. Knowing this, I couldn’t help but feel afraid and thought, “These two interviewers are leaders who may be strict with me during the interview. If they aren’t satisfied with me and reject me, then I have to start over. Though I can rely on God, will they employ a person who is not proficient in Japanese and has a poor caliber?” The more I thought about it, the less confidence I had.

On the day of the interview, I still felt afraid. Knowing something was wrong with my situation, I told my difficulty to the sister. She read a passage of God’s word to me, “God is man’s only Lord, God is the only Master of human fate, and so it is impossible for man to dictate his own fate, impossible for him to step outside of it. No matter how great one’s abilities, one cannot influence—much less orchestrate, arrange, control, or change—the fates of others. Only God Himself, the unique, dictates all things for man, for only He possesses the unique authority that holds sovereignty over human fate, and so only the Creator is man’s unique Master.” Then the sister fellowshiped with me, “All things are dictated by God. Outwardly, whether you can pass the interview depends on the interviewer. But in fact, it is in God’s hands. Because you are bound by the influence of status and put the decisions made by man above all else, you don’t have God’s place in heart or know His authority. God is the Creator; as long as we rely on Him, He would lead us.” Hearing the sister’s fellowship, I no longer felt afraid. It’s true. Only God is the one who holds sovereignty over my fate. Whether I can pass the interview is based on the rule and preordination of God. I should submit to His orchestrations and arrangements with no individual choice. Thinking of this, I felt assured and relieved.

After adjusting my mentality, I attended the interview calmly. When I was asked the question which I couldn’t answer or when I couldn’t express my idea in Japanese freely, I no longer felt nervous or afraid. Because I knew that whether I could pass the interview was in God’s hands; I just needed to do all that I could. A few days later, I received an email from the company which said that I passed the third interview, and they made an appointment with me for the last round of interviews where the interviewer was the manager. I felt so happy. I truly appreciated the authority of God’s words, and that as long as I acted according to His words, I would see His wondrous deeds.

Though I still felt kind of nervous about the following interview, I knew God would lead me to the direction forward, because after experiencing His wondrous deeds, I knew that He is always by my side. Then I prayed to Him, “Oh God! You know that I lack the powers of expression, insights, and courage. May You give me faith and strength so that I can face and experience this environment.” After prayer, I felt calm in my heart. During the interview, I was released and was prompt at answering questions. To my surprise, a few minutes after the interview, the head of the personnel department gave me a notice and told me that I was accepted by the company with a salary higher than that of the others accepted. Seeing all these things, I was moved to tears and knew that it was God’s wondrous deeds.

Through this experience, I truly appreciated that God is always by my side, supplying me and leading me. I also saw that God is faithful and that His word has power and authority, and that it is actually not vague to rely on and look to Him. Thank God! I not only found a good job, but also gained a little true knowledge of His sovereignty and more faith in Him. I believe that with God’s company and the guidance of His words, I will become more brave and confident in the future. All glory be to Almighty God!

»You may be interested in reading more on our Christian Life page about Christian in the Workplace :

• God’s Timing Is Perfect—A Christian’s Experience of Job Hunting

• Applying for Jobs Honestly, I’ve Seen God’s Blessings