We live in a non-committal society. People switch from one church to another when they don’t like the leadership, jump from one marriage to another because their spouse isn’t doing what they want and jump from job to job when their boss makes them mad. We truly have a problem in our culture with committing to anything. How many times have you rethought which cell phone company to go with based on the length of the contract? We just do not like committing to anything.

There are times in life where we do need change. In our career, this is also true, but it shouldn’t be at the drop of a hat. I work with people who seemingly switch jobs like they change their baby’s diapers…a couple of times each day. The problem is, in all actuality, they have no direction in life and are looking for a quick fix in the form of a dollar bill. The money wears off, in time, and they are back looking for another quick fix.

Are there set guidelines for changing careers? No, and even if there were, there would be exceptions to each rule. However, we can have understanding about careers in general and seek wisdom to know when the time is right for a change. Here are five steps to take when considering a career change.

1 â€" Prayer â€" Ultimately, we work to serve God, whether we are a plumber or a preacher. It is true that we are providing for our families, but in all things we are to strive to please God. Simply quitting without seeking God’s will in your current job could mean that you are stepping outside of the will of God. God may keep you there for a little time just so that you meet that one person whose life can be changed because of your witness. If you are not in touch with the Lord, how are you going to know what He wanted you to do at that job. Make no mistake about it…God doesn’t give us a job or a career just so we can make money. He never has and He never will. It is all about spreading His story to those around us and those we come into contact with. Through prayer, God will reveal whether He is leading you to change jobs or maybe even look into a new career.

2 â€" Think about the family implications â€" Will you have to move to take a new job or can you stay where you are at? If you have kids, this is an even more important question, especially when they are in school. It is hard on children to move, so this must factor in to the decision. Also, what shifts you would have to work and how that could affect your family is something to think about. If it includes working third shift, it could mean that you will not get to see your family as much. Family implications are a large deciding factor when it comes to changing careers.

3 â€" Will this bring fulfillment? â€" Will this change bring a greater sense of fulfillment in your career? Most people change jobs over money and/or happiness. Simply changing careers for monetary gain is not always a good idea. You must ask yourself if this new career will give you a deeper sense of fulfillment. We all want to make a difference with what we do, so we have to look objectively at any possible career as to whether or not we will have a feeling of fulfillment while working. If you like to work with people, yet changing careers will lead to an office job with very little human contact, you probably will not want to break from your current situation. God meant for our work to be fulfilling, so we have to pay attention to this fact when we are considering a career change.

4 â€" Consider if it involves Compromise â€" Will this change in career include compromising your relationship with God in any way? For instance, if the job is a third shift job, will it cause you to miss night services at your church? Our relationship is the central part of our lives and any job or career that could cause us to compromise that part of our lives is simply not worth it. Investigate the company that you are considering and make sure that they stand for the same things that you stand for. A compromise in any area on any point is conforming to this world, which Paul says that we shouldn’t do in Romans chapter 12.

5 â€" Give the job a stress test â€" Stress is a huge factor in our lives today. We also know that stress leads to heart attacks and high blood pressure, as well as a slew of other medical related problems. Will this new career be more stressful and if so, is it worth it? God didn’t intend for us to live our lives completely stressed out. Jesus even told us to come to him when we are weary and heavy burdened. Reliving stress in your life is a great option and a career change that will only add stress to your already stressful life is not a good idea. Our health is very important and we should do all that we can to stay healthy.

Take these steps when considering any type of career change and see if the change is truly beneficial. By weighing out the most important options, we can see if this change is truly God trying to move us in a different area of life or if it is just a quick fix for a tough time that we are going through. God is to be the focal point of every area of our lives, even our careers. We have to make sure that He is leading us to move so that we complete His plan for each area of our

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