“I am fed up with my job!�

I was listening to a friend as I sipped a cup of coffee. Garrison leaned back and flailed his arms. “I need to quit right now!�
I took a deep breath. “I hear you! Really, I do. But try to calm down so we can talk about it.�

He exhaled with a nervous chuckle, and then sat back in his chair. Garrison was a former employee of mine, a sharp marketing professional with a bright future. He was serious about his work, and advancing within his chosen career was a priority.

I smiled. “Tell me why you want to quit your job.�

My job stinks. Our company is being threatened by competitors. Nothing gets done due to bureaucracy. If I don’t get out of there soon, I think I’ll go nuts.�

I asked Garrison what he liked about his current position. “For the most part, it’s not too bad,� he admitted. Next, I asked how he felt about the industry he was in. He didn’t rave, but he was upbeat. “Tell me more about the company you’re working for,� I prompted. He sighed. “Last year we celebrated our three-year anniversary. But then we were acquired by a big corporation. The worst thing is the new management often pointedly reminds us who’s in charge. It’s irritating.�
Garrison continued. “The guys at headquarters have no idea what’s really happening with our customers. We can’t respond to the market as quickly now. It’s silly. And sad!� I encouraged Garrison to try to analyze the factors surrounding the acquisition. His main issues seemed to center on bureaucracy. He appeared somewhat uncomfortable in his chosen field, but he certainly wasn’t ready to throw it away and do something else. He seemed satisfied with his industry. Like so many others today, Garrison’s current job was out of balance with his personal preferences and professional skills.

Over the years, I have had many conversations about job changes and career paths with friends and coworkers. We would discuss the job function, the industry, and the company. I found that all three areas need to be in balance, or at least close. While they all blend together, they are separate issues, and each has a different impact on a person’s overall job satisfaction.

I have seen friends and colleagues jump the gun on career decisions without evaluating all angles of the new opportunities. Some of them regretted leaving their old jobs or companies. If you think it’s time for a job change, take a long look at everythingâ€"job function, industry, and the company. Be brutally honest with yourself. Analyze all the issues before you do anything. There’s an added dimension for Christians. What is the Lord’s will for my career? How do I know what job to choose? These are tough questions Christians ask themselves every day. The choice of career becomes more complex with every generation. Choices expand as industries rise, fall, and morph into something else. Scripture introduces and reinforces key points about work. Your work (career) should reflect your obedience to biblical teachings. We must work hard and be good stewards of our employer’s property. In doing so, we should demonstrate integrity, truthfulness, respect for authority, consideration for others, and dependability. In truth, we work for the Lord. (Colossians 3:23-24) Preparing for job change requires a thorough and thoughtful analysis that is bathed in prayer and wise counsel. Such decisions should not be made quickly or taken lightly. Consider inviting a group of friends and trusted colleagues to be part of your change team. Invite them to pray and then gather together for feedback and counsel as you work your plan. Let your mind, your heart, and wise counselors combine to discover God’s will for your career path, whether you are in a secular field or in Christian ministry. Many times job change occurs due to incompatibility with “the boss.â€? Let’s take a closer look at that aspect of job change. The boss is a much-maligned character these days. The word boss is often seen as a negative term. “Look out, here comes the boss!â€? That’s usually a warning to look busy.

Every now and then people will say, “I have a good boss,� but that’s the exception, not the rule. Have you ever thought of God or Jesus as your Boss? That perspective changed my life. Nearly twenty years ago, popular TV reporter Ted Koppel commented on right and wrong, stating, “What Moses brought down from Mount Sinai was not the ten suggestions, but the Ten Commandments.� That had a profound effect on me. “Do I consider biblical instructions as commands coming from my heavenly Boss?� I asked myself, “or do I sometimes take them lightly?� That led me to reevaluate how I saw the boss I had at that time and every boss since then. When it comes to compensation, God’s instruction is short and sweet. We should not make money the aim of working. While we have to earn a salary to clothe and feed ourselves and our family, we should not live a life characterized by lusting after the next level of house, car, or clothes.

The Bible has countless examples of people who encountered a situation and prayed for direction. Your life matters to the Lord, and he wants to help you. Prayer, petition, fasting, and consulting fair-minded, trusted friends augment the results in a powerful, God-ordained way. Scripture points out that the Lord is the one who is in controlâ€"whether we admit it or not. We can ask him for wisdom and direction, and he will determine our steps. But our motives must be pure.

Writer’s Bio:
Thomas N. Ellsworth, a career mentor and C.O.O. of a leading wireless entertainment company, is a highly-experienced entrepreneur and author of The Rat, The Race and The Cage, a newly-released book about career decision-making and job satisfaction.
Bob Haslam is a professional writer, editor and mentor.

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