Career Vs. Passion

We all want to feel like we are making a difference in the world with the things that we do on a daily basis. Whether it is at work or at home, we want to feel like the things that we do are positively impacting the lives of those around us and those who will benefit from our labor. We know that we have a purpose and sometimes, we wonder if our current job or career is our God-given purpose for life. We wonder if our purpose exists in the business world like it does in the friendly confines of the church.

With all these questions, we set out to find answers to be assured that we are living as fully for God as possible. One of the main questions that is raised deals with money and income. If you have a job making $65,000 a year but you have the opportunity to do something that you are more passionate about for $39,000 a year, should you take the one that you are more passionate about, regardless of wages? If you feel that God is calling you to the job that makes less, then the answer is yes. We are very caught up in the monetary aspects of our careers, realizing that we have bills to pay and mouths to feed, but faithfulness to the Spirit of God is the key.

Jesus said in Matthew that we should not waste our time worrying about what we will eat or what we will wear because God is going to take care of us. If you are passionate about something, it is because God gave you that passion and wants you to use that enthusiasm for His glory. Psalm 139 tells us how God knew us before we were formed and how He carefully crafted us in a unique way, including the passions of our hearts. We are not pleasing to God in a job that may offer financial stability but doesn’t stimulate our witness for Him or His calling in our lives. We feel like we need to plan out our retirement, our career goals, our vacations, etc., but what we need is just to follow God and let Him lead us through each phase of the process. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.� (NIV). When the decision for a job comes up, take the monetary figures out of the equation and ask yourself one basic question, “In which job can the Lord use me the most and make the most of what He has given me?�

But I used to be Passionate?
Another question that we have to ponder is whether or not a passion can fade. I believe that our passions change as we age. Things that we were once so passionate about wear off in latter stages in life, thus making us wonder what happened to that original desire. It is human nature. The rock music that you listen to now will one day be considered oldies and you will not continue to listen to the most up-to-date music that is out there. Your passions continue to evolve and will take a whole new mold at every stage of your life.. I worked in a daycare for 6 years during high school and the first part of college. I loved kids and loved spending time there at work. If you put me in a room with 30 K-5 kids now, I’d have to reach for the biggest bottle of aspirin available and swallow at least half the bottle to make it through the first two hours. My passion now is teenagers and I have spent six years in youth ministry. A passion can turn into a job and when it does, it is time for us to re-evaluate what God’s will is for our lives. I believe that the change in our passions shows the way that God continues to mold us like the potter molds the clay. Each step in the life process begins to look a little more like the beautiful pottery in the mind’s eye of the potter. The one passion that cannot weaken but can only intensify has to be our passion for the Lord.

We have all been given gifts and our spiritual gifts are the most important. We cannot always use our spiritual gifts in the workplace, but finding the best way to serve God with what we have is always an option. A person who has been given the gift of tongues probably wouldn’t benefit from using that gift in a telemarketing field, but he can lead a life that draws his co-workers closer to the throne of God. There will be times in your life where there are not opportunities to work in a career that involves your passion. In those times, we work to the best of our abilities at the job that we have and wait for God to open doors. We can serve God in any job that we do, by sharing His message with co-workers and/or clients, by praising Him for what He has given us, and by living a testimony of the sacrifice of Jesus.

Eyes Up
In our search for finding our purpose, we have to start with an initial question. “How deep is your passion for God?� We have to survey what we want versus what God wants for us and decide who will make the decision…me or God. It all starts with one thought process as well, “In what areas and with which people can God use me to the fullest in order to accomplish His goals on this earth through my life?� We have to remember what the Bible says in Psalm 39:4. “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeting away.� (NLT) We only have a short amount of time on earth and the goal is to use every second to worship God, seek His face, and advance His kingdom in that amount of time. Though each of our purposes may be different, He gave all of us the same Commission.

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