Overview:
Shewanda Riley, a Fort Worth, Texas based author, reflects on her experience of losing her dream job as a radio show producer and on-air host in 2003. She missed the warning signs of her termination because she sometimes chose not to pay attention to the "handwriting on the wall." She encourages anyone going through a season where they want questions answered about why things are happening that they don't understand or if they find themselves getting frustrated because the answers don't seem to be coming, to check the handwriting and punctuation on the wall. God may have already given them their answer.
Like others who have enjoyed the excitement of working in a job that they believed was perfect for them, I’ve also had the experience of unexpectedly losing that dream job. For me, it was my job as a radio show producer and on-air host. I remember being shocked and disappointed when it happened in 2003. Even though I knew that broadcasting could be unstable and that my career plan B was to eventually get a job as a college professor, I remember my mixed feelings of confusion and frustration at the termination. The ratings were good and despite my best efforts to find out, I was never given a reason why.
Two questions that repeatedly bothered me were:
- Were any warning signs?
- If so, how did I miss them?
However, I realize now that I missed the warning signs because God always gives me warning signs every time there is a major shift in my life. For whatever reason, I sometimes chose not to pay attention to the handwriting on the wall.
The phrase “handwriting on the wall” refers to the biblical story of Daniel who was able to prophetically interpret and gave an interpretation of the writing on the wall for King Belshazzar. Daniel was called upon by the King to give insight into some puzzling handwriting that none of the King’s spiritual advisors could understand. Because of God’s anointing on his life, Daniel gave a correct reading of the wall. Daniel 5:17 reads:
“Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your
rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him
what it means.”
It is especially during troubling times that we should not only read the handwriting
on the wall but also the punctuation marks that accompany it. Some of those
punctuation marks are:
- Period (.) – Signals that there is the end of a thought but also signals the
beginning of another. It’s been said that when God closes one door, another one
is already open. He wants us to walk boldly with faith toward that next open
door and not waste time trying to open the one that has been closed. He also
does not want us to remain stuck in one season when another one has begun. - Question Mark (?) – Completes a question. It’s fair to have questions because they start a dialogue between us and God. Some of us only talk to God in our prayer time when we question not getting what we wanted. However, the end result of asking questions won’t always be to get a quick answer from God.
- Ellipses (…) – Indicates that words or paragraphs have been omitted. Usually, the omissions are because the words are not necessary or important to the overall meaning of the sentence. In his infinite wisdom, God will omit people, jobs, and circumstances out of our lives because they are no longer necessary. They are not part of God’s plan for our future.
I encourage anyone going through a season where you want questions answered about why things are happening that you don’t understand or if you find yourself getting frustrated because the answers don’t seem to be coming, check the handwriting and punctuation on the wall.
God may have already given you your answer.
Shewanda Riley is a Fort Worth, Texas based author of “Love Hangover: Moving From Pain to Purpose After a Relationship Ends” and “Writing to the Beat of God’s Heart: A Book of Prayers for Writers.” Email her at preservedbypurpose@gmail.com or follow her on Instagram @sheawandawrites.