Adam, a Christian father of two, explains how he felt when he lost his job: “I easily became agitated; everything irritated me. Even at night my dreams were all about work and how to provide for my children and my wife, who had also been laid off unexpectedly.” When Ryszard and Mariola, a married couple with a child, lost their means of income, they had a large, outstanding bank loan. The wife relates: “I was constantly troubled, my conscience telling me that it was a mistake to have taken out that loan. I kept thinking that it was all my fault.”

Adam, mentioned earlier, felt that way. He says: “When my wife and I both lost our jobs, the thought of staying away from Christian meetings or reducing our share in the evangelizing work never crossed our minds. That perspective protected us from becoming overly worried about tomorrow.” Ryszard shares similar sentiments: “If it were not for the meetings and the ministry, we could never have coped; we would definitely have been eaten up by worry. Spiritual conversations with others are uplifting, for they turn our attention to their needs and away from our own.”​—Philippians 2:4.

What initiative? “Do not wait with folded arms for God to act, hoping for a miracle,” explains Adam. “When you are looking for work, do not hesitate to identify yourself as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Employers usually value that.” Ryszard gives this advice: “Ask anyone you know about job opportunities, keep checking at the employment agency, read advertisements, such as: ‘Wanted, woman to care for a disabled person’; or, ‘Temporary employment: Strawberry picking.’ Keep on searching! Do not be too choosy, even if you have to do something menial or something that does not fulfill your ambitions.”

Adam and Irena managed to support themselves by window washing and stairwell cleaning and by being thrifty when purchasing things. They also visited the employment agency regularly. “Help always came just when we needed it,” notes Irena. Her husband adds: “Time has shown that the matters we brought up in our prayers were not necessarily in line with God’s will. This has taught us to rely on his wisdom and not to act according to our own understanding. It is better to wait calmly for the solution God will provide.”​—James 1:4.

Ryszard and Mariola took various odd jobs but at the same time became involved in witnessing in territories where the need was greater. “We got needed jobs right at the times when we had nothing left to eat,” says Ryszard. “We refused well-paying jobs that would interfere with our theocratic responsibilities. We preferred to wait on Jehovah.” They believe that Jehovah maneuvered matters so that they were able to rent a flat very cheaply and Ryszard finally found a job.