Let’s assume you’re like most Americans who wake up every morning, drag themselves into work, put in their eight to 10 hours, and drag themselves back – only to do it all again the next day.
Let’s assume that deep down you’d rather be doing something else – something more meaningful and inspiring. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll quit your job, take a huge pay cut and finally live the life you dreamed. Perhaps you’ll mosey on over to the garage and start making furniture for a living, or maybe you’ll muster up the courage to convince your family to plant a church halfway across the world.
Whatever you choose – it’s gotta beat the endless carousel ride of restlessness you’re in now. Right? After all, doesn’t God really want you to pursue his real calling for your life?
Ladies and gentleman, meet David Roth. David took the unexpected leap from a career as a corporate VP of one of the largest transportation logistics companies in North America, to running a non-profit we like to call WorkMatters.
Turns out, he has a great podcast on our website where he shares the following tips for anyone looking to discover their calling:
1. God calls us to honor him in our current jobs. God has put you in your current job for a reason. No matter what circumstances you’re in God has asked you to honor him in your work and he’s called us to do so with all of our heart.
2. It’s OK to ask, “What’s next, God?”. God is always on the move and that’s why it’s OK to ask “What’s next?”. We have to do what we can to ask ‘Am I doing what I’m supposed to be doing right now?’ For some of you it may mean moving from corporate world to entrepreneurship – for others He could be calling you into ministry, family support or more.
3. Have an intimate relationship with God. Pray, listen, wait and obey. If you don’t invite God into the decision process of praying, listening, waiting and obeying in a very deep and meaningful way, there’s a good chance you won’t end up where you should be. God speaks to us through prayer, the Bible, our circumstances and other believers. So be sure to intentionally listen in each of these areas.
4. Learn who you are. Many of us don’t take the time to really learn and invest in who we are. We recommend two resources for doing so – What Color’s Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles and Strength Finders 2.0 by Tom Rath. These books are a great way to deeply invest in yourself.
5. Step out of your comfort zone. When God calls you to something new – it’s almost always going to take you out of your comfort zone. If your calling isn’t really challenging you, then maybe you should consider whether or not that’s where He wants you to go.
6. Determine the difference between a great idea and an assignment from God. When you get a great idea it’s easy to run your emotional meter to 80 percent. However, it’s important that you move your meter back to neutral and immediately start praying when you get a great idea or new job opportunity.
7. Seek counsel. Proverbs 15:22 says, ‘Plans fail for lack of counsel. But with many advisers they succeed.’ It’s imperative to surround yourself with a small group of believers you trust that can give you counsel and coaching. For those of you with spouses, starting with them is a great start. You can also use an executive coach like our friend Steve Graves and his team at Coaching by Cornerstone, who can help guide you with wisdom over a period of time.
8. Beware of your enemy. As soon as you hit your knees and say, “God I’m really restless in my job, what’s next for me?” we will wake up with the enemy. And when we know he’s coming, it’s easier guard our hearts and minds (Eph. 6:11).
9. When it’s time, be courageous. You will get to a point in your career where you have to make your next move. Sometimes that means saying ‘yes’ and sometimes it means saying ‘no’. Regardless, you must be ready and courageous enough to do what God says (Josh. 1:9).
10. Embrace where you are even when it’s hard. There tends to be a lot of negativity around work. you may not like your boss or your job, but rest assure God has a hope and a future for you no matter what point you are at in your faith and work journey.
Ultimately, we want to encourage you to chase your calling and invest the time to really unveil what God has for you. Tell us, what can you act on today when it comes to your calling. Is there something you learned about calling in this post that you didn’t know before?
We recommend:
Blogs:
Trusting God with Your Career Even When You Don’t Know Why
How Did I Get Here? 3 Ways to Handle Unexpected Career Paths
Podcasts:
Discover Your Calling – President, WorkMatters
The Road Not Traveled – Terry Turpin, CEO, Acumen Brands, Inc.
