Follow me on Twitter
More than a Job
Comments(1)
I’ve had a recurring conversation over the past few weeks. I may have touched on it here already, but it’s come up so much that I really don’t know where or when.
I’ve started noticing a frightening habit that many people seem to have, that is associating “calling” and employment.
(from the monster.com homepage)
I’m really struggling to wrap my head around the precise interrelation between who I am and what I do and God’s desire for what I do professionally. But, it’s curious to me – as the graphic above suggests – that even the secular world considers your job your “calling.”
I’m starting to think that maybe if there are 15 opportunities that strike you as strong possibilities, perhaps they are all equally acceptable options. Whereas, it seems that I’ve always been led to believe (for whatever reason) that there is only one”right” option among the thousands of “wrong” ones.
I think that we all want to believe that we were created for some specific purpose – and we are. The thing is, I’m realizing more and more that that purpose is probably not a job.
Thoughts?
*RE-POSTED FROM DISQUS*
Dan:
3 years ago I would have wholeheartedly agreed with you in that a "true calling" must lead to church ministry, and that any other "job" you have is just something you do to make money that you need to invest into your "true calling" in the church…and so on and so forth.
But now, I 100% believe in the Sovereignty of God in that He designed me for a specific purpose, a calling if you will, to use my love for design, writing, and cinema for Him…and it doesn't have to be in church ministry for it to be valuable. God didn't create a "secular" world and a "Christian" world, He created the world. There aren't trees out in Oregon who cuss and smoke and drink, and there aren't bushes in South Texas that sing praises to God…meaning, God created EVERYTHING as it was and it was His, and it was Great! The division that exists in media, music, movies, creativity, etc. we created for our own sakes in trying to compare ourselves to others for our identity. (Well, I'm at least not as bad as that person, I'm not "secular.")
I say all of that to bring the point around that God created work, He created movies, He created writing, He created ditches and He has called people to dig ditches with all of their heart, soul, and mind. Each one of us has a calling on our life, and if you look at the hints He has given you throughout your life as to how He designed you and the things you love, the things that make you spark, what you do that makes you come alive, your name even, what it means…all signs and hints He put in place to show you what He wants you to do…for Him. Ross's calling as a pastor to 121 is no better than my calling as a graphic designer/writer.
I could go on and on about this subject because God has truly changed my life and my tunnel vision I had of His power and what He can do…but I will let others chip in.
AndyC:
Ryan,
There is a big difference between a vocation and an occupation. I think the calling comes from what God places on your heart as a vocation.
The purpose in life is definitely not a job in a secular sense, but what is going to give you something to carry into eternity, when all on earth has been reserved for the fire.
Reply