What Should I Do With My Life?
By Ethan McCutchen
Has anyone ever told you, “God is going to use you in amazing ways?”… This statement is true, However, when the moment arrives to make a concrete career choice, we frequently overlook the reality of such an important decision. There are thousands of occupations in the world that are further broken down into specific career titles. College students have the weighing expectation to decide within a span of 4 short years of their life, what they want to do for the next 50. This can be very overwhelming, frustrating, and daunting to think about. However, I hope that this blog provides encouragement, comfort, and a scriptural backing of what the will of God truly is relative to big life decisions such as a career move. Many of these thoughts are based on Kevin DeYoung’s book, Just Do Something. It’s a short but very insightful read and I would highly recommend checking it out!
Oftentimes, the will of God for a person’s life is viewed as a bullseye that must be hit right on the dot. We think of it as a maze with one final destination that must be found. We assume that anything outside what we believe the Lord’s specific plan is for our life is not of His will. We apply this thinking to career, believing that there is one designated job that God has for us, and we must search endlessly to find it. Christians stress themselves out thinking that our God-given purpose will not be fulfilled until we find this specific calling. However, this is not really what God’s word tells us. Let’s take a look.
God knows the smallest details and loves us deeply.
- Psalm 139:16 (NLT) – “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed”.
God has ordained all things and his plans are absolute.
- Ephesians 1:11 (NLT) – “Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan”.
- Isaiah 46:9-10 (NLT) – “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish”.
God commands us to walk in a way that is Christlike and in rejection of the flesh.
- 1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) – “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever”.
- Romans 12:2 (NLT) – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NLT) – “God’s will is for you to be holy…”
God equips us to carry out his will and produce the ways of life that are pleasing to him.
- Hebrews 13:21 (NLT) – “May he (God) equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen”.
These verses show the magnificence, the power, and the character of our God. He is all-knowing. He deeply loves us, and his will is for us to be holy. In Matthew 6:31-34, as Jesus continues the Sermon on the Mount, he encourages listeners saying, “do not worry about what you will eat or drink because your heavenly Father knows all of your needs. Instead, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” Seek first the kingdom of God. That is God’s will for our lives.
The Big Decision
One very important area that the career decision affects is our finances. Everyone uses money in various ways to conduct daily life. When job searching; salary, career growth potential, and family provision all very important considerations. However, as we approach all financial decisions, the most important principle is that God owns it all. The income we earn is given to us by the Father for us to utilize as He has commanded us. He desires that we be wise in our preparation, spending, and planning. This is stewardship. God desires that His people are diligent in building wealth for the right reasons with a heart of generosity. For God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Whether you have a job or internship in your dream field, or you have absolutely no idea where to even start in searching for a career, seek first the kingdom of God and glorify him in everything you do. Find something you enjoy, work hard, but most importantly, constantly examine your heart to grow in Christlikeness. As long as we are following Jesus and living in the way scripture commands us to, we are in God’s will. As believers, we have the calling to impact the world and spread the gospel wherever we are at and the workplace you find yourself in, is a great place to start!
