Discover The Career Path Chosen For You By God!

I want you to think of how many hours can go into a career. If you get your career at age 25 and work 40 hours a week for 50 weeks a year, and you retire at age 60. You'd be spending 70,000 hours or 2916 days for work.

And if you think about it, eight hours, which is the average workday for a full time job, is one third of your day. So if you're going to spend such a huge part of your life on your career, it would be wise for you to take thoughtful steps as you choose a career. So if you're someone that doesn't know what they want to do yet, or you find yourself stuck in a job that you don't want to stay in, here are five steps that every Christian should take when it comes to finding a career that's right for you.

Step number one. Look at how God made you. Psalm chapter 139, verse 14.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works. My soul knows it very well.

In this passage, David talks about how he'll praise God because he's made in a way that causes both awe and wonder. So David understood just how complicated the human body is, and he knew that God was the originator of his incredibly intricate body, heart, soul, and mind. So as you start looking for a career, it would be good for you to reflect on who you are and how God made you.

and this might take a lot of work because many times we can be pressured into a career either by our parents because of what they want for us, or maybe because of our peers due to their expectations of us based on our strengths that they see. So as you look at who you are, there's two things that I want you to look at. One, look at your desires and to look at your strengths and for your desires.

Look at what sounds appealing to you in a career. when I was younger, I pursued a career as a firefighter. And then I pursued a career in law enforcement.

And while I was working toward those jobs, many firefighters and police officers recognized my hard work, my capacity to lead, and my attention to detail. And many of them thought that this career would be a great fit for me. On top of that, my pursuit of these careers became a kind of identity for me because my friends and family assumed that due to my headstrong nature, I would achieve my goal of being a firefighter.

So when I chose not to be one, they were confused and I even received some backlash for quitting. And the reason why I quit pursuing firefighting was because I didn't want the schedule of a firefighter fireman, work 24 hours a day. And for me, I looked at my desire to be a husband and a father.

And I didn't like the idea of being away from my future family for that long. and yes, I know that there are many great fathers and husbands that are firefighters. But for me personally, I didn't want that for my life.

So after I pursued firefighting, I decided to pursue law enforcement so that all my training in public safety wouldn't go to waste. And as I pursued that career, I realized that I had a growing passion to help the church in Japan. And I realized that if I got hired by a police department, it would limit me being able to go to Japan for long periods of time.

So because I had a heart to help Japan on the mission field, I eventually turned down a career in law enforcement. So for me and my desires, I looked at the fact that I wanted to be home for my future family, and that I wanted to do work in Japan to help the church. And then I chose a career that overlapped with my goals in life.

So for you, what do you want? do you prefer working alone or working with people? Do you prefer being indoors in an office setting, or would you rather do something hands on?

And would you like it if you did something similar every day, or would you like it better if your schedule was dynamic and changed often? honestly, the questions are endless. But the key is to understand that God made you in a way that's unique and specific to you.

So as you think of potential careers to pursue, you should decide on one that won't take away from who you are and overlaps with what you want in life. after you look at your desires, the next thing to consider and reflect on are your strengths. Are you good at talking to people, at coding, at math?

At working with your hands? Or are you gifted in organization or working under pressure? Or are you good at working in teams?

And I'm not saying that you need to be an expert in all these things. But what are some skills that you have that other people have noticed about you? And if you feel like you don't have many strengths, identify what skills you'd have a heart to learn and excel at.

So once you've taken some time to reflect and fully own what you want in a job and what strengths you can bring to the table, move to step number two. Make a decision. Joshua chapter 24, verse 15.

and if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your father served, that were on the other side of the river. or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell? But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

in this passage. Joshua, Moses's successor who led Israel to conquer the Promised Land. There's an old man here.

And is speaking to the children of Israel. And to encourage them to not forsake the God who delivered them from their enemies. And in this passage, Joshua tells them to make a decision on who they'll serve.

And what I want you to pay attention to here is the fact that God gives people a choice. And the idea that God gives people the ability to choose is crucial when it comes to deciding a career, because it forces us to take ownership of our decisions. So before you make a decision on what to do as a career, you need to plan and prepare.

Joshua earlier in chapter one chose to obey God to conquer the Promised Land. But before he stepped foot in Jericho, he planned. And sent spies and rallied the people and communicated to them his plan for victory.

So for you and your career, you also need to plan and lay out the possible careers and jobs that you can pursue with your desires and strengths in mind. And I'd recommend that you lay out every possible career that you feel like you might enjoy. And then to start laying out the pros and cons for each possibility.

And the key here is to be as detailed as possible during this step. And the reason why is because you're going to be spending thousands of hours on this career. So you better do your homework to see what it'll actually cost you to have a particular career.

some careers require you to go to college. And if that's the case, know how much money it'll actually cost you. And then you should list if you'll have financial support because that will also affect your decision.

some careers may be a bit of a risk, like starting your own business. So you should draft a budget on how much money it'll actually take to get your business up and running. Other careers are highly competitive, and there's no guarantee that you'll actually get the job.

So that would also be a con. But if the pros are big enough for that job and that it'll pay well, it's a job that you'd for sure love and that it help people. Then maybe you take that risk and find ways to improve your odds.

All that to say, lay out all possible careers that interest you. And then record detailed pros and cons and lay out everything that you should keep in mind. Remember, God gave you a choice.

So that means that you should take this choice seriously and put in the work to make sure that your decision is one worth pursuing. Some tips before we move on to the next step. Be careful if a career possibility is too vague.

For example, if you want to be an artist, be detailed about it. Do you want to be a storyboard artist, a character designer, a background artist or animator? And if you're not sure about what kind of profession you want, then you need to do some research on your end so you can better understand what you're pursuing.

Another tip. Always have a backup plan. And beware of putting all your eggs in one basket.

Even if you're absolutely sure and passionate about getting a particular job. Find an alternative. Back then, no one was more sure than me about being a firefighter.

And I pursued that career hard for about seven years of my life. But time passed, values changed, and I soon found that being a fireman did not align with my goals. so for you, while you may want one particular career above all others, that's fine.

At the same time, I think it would be wise to have a backup plan in case something happens that would prevent you from getting that job. Or in case you change as a person and want something else. Another tip.

If you currently have a job and your goal is to start your own business, or you plan to switch careers. Don't be hasty about quitting your job right now. So before you quit, I would make sure your business is either up and running and can make a profit, or you're absolutely certain that you have another job lined up.

So if you're making money right now from a job that you don't really like, remember that you can still use that income to fuel future goals and plans. And final tip don't do things just for money. And so get me wrong.

Money's important. But it's overrated when it comes to job satisfaction. back when I was a teacher and a coach, I had friends that easily made three times what I was making.

but they were miserable. And they said they'd happily take a pay cut if they could have the kind of job satisfaction that I had. so as you make your decision.

Money should be a thing and even a main thing, but it should not be the driving force behind what you do. Because at the end of the day, money will pass and your life is more meaningful than money. Hey, real quick, did you know that impact is actually in podcast form now?

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God bless. Let's get back to the video. Step number three.

Be in constant communication with God. Philippians chapter four, verses 6 to 7. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. In this passage, Paul tells the church to not be worried, but to respond to God with thanksgiving and prayer and to tell God their requests, and that by doing so, God's peace will guard their hearts and minds. Now when it comes to deciding a career, it can be a weighty decision.

So due to the impact that this decision will have on you, you need to really be in prayer and spend time with God. To get more insight on what you should do. I remember back when I was working as a beverage distributor, and I went to Walmarts and Targets and ordered and organize their lemonade and energy drinks.

And I remember coming to the realization that my life wasn't going anywhere so long as I held this job. So I made the decision to go back to college. But as I was quitting, my manager really didn't want to lose me.

So he offered me a lot more money. Enough money for me to reconsider quitting. And I remember as I was on the phone with him.

I saw my Bible. And I was reminded what I was learning all throughout that week during my personal studies. And I remember God telling me how wisdom is more valuable than gold, silver and jewels.

And so I looked at me going back to college. And then I looked at the job offer. And I told my manager, I'm sorry.

I appreciate the offer. But it's important for me to go back to school. And I remember feeling like I made a bad decision.

But I relied on God's truth. That wisdom was better than money. And praise God for giving me that direction.

Because if I didn't get my bachelor's degree. I wouldn't have been able to accept a teaching position, a few years later. And I definitely wouldn't be as equipped to teach as I am now.

So note that if you're considering the pursuit of a career or a job change, you're in what I call a transition chapter of your life. Where God may be taking your life in a completely different direction. And if that's the case, it would be in your best interest to pray.

To stay in His word and to fast. So that you can receive three things. Clarity to see what God's will is.

Understanding on what to do with that knowledge, and wisdom on how to do it and when to do it. So as you seek God, really reflect on Proverbs chapter 16, verse nine. A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

And one of the reasons why it's important to hear from God is because God may actually say no, or close the door of opportunity. And that's okay. I remember back when I was pursuing firefighting, I was enrolled to join the Wildland Fire Academy.

But I remember God made it clear for me to go to Bible college. So reluctantly, I took my name off the list for the Wildland Fire Academy, and instead I went to Bible College. and I remember being upset that I was at Bible college.

And in one of my first classes, the director asked all the students to introduce ourselves and to explain why we were at Bible college. And I remember being in a bad mood and I said, I'm Miles. I don't know why I'm here.

I was supposed to be in the fire academy. And then I sat back down. But looking back now, my time at Bible College equipped me for the career God prepared for me.

So as you seek to communicate with God, make sure you give him the room to answer. Because while he may say yes to certain opportunities, he may also say no. So you need to be spiritually sensitive enough to hear those answers when he gives them.

Step number four get experience Matthew chapter 14, verses 19 to 21. then he commanded the multitudes to sit on the grass. And he took the five loaves and the two fish.

And looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke, and gave the loaves to the disciples. And the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all eight and were filled, and they took up 12 baskets full of the fragments that remained.

now those who had eaten, were about 5000 men, besides women and children. In this passage, Jesus told over 5000 people to sit down. And then he multiplied loaves of bread and some fish.

And then he told his disciples to go and give them the food. And one thing that I noticed is the number of people that were saved after Peter preached in acts chapter two. in fact, in acts 241, it says about 3000 souls were saved that day.

And the reason why I mention this is because when Jesus was feeding the multitude of people, he wasn't just meeting the people's physical needs. He was also training the disciples and giving them the experience to take care of thousands of people. So what I want you to see here is the value of experience.

And it can look different for different situations. God gave Joseph the experience of being in jail, to give him the humility necessary to lead Egypt back in the book of Genesis. And God gave Moses the experience of being a shepherd in the wilderness, so that Moses could have the patience to lead the Israelites through the wilderness so that they can get to the Promised Land.

So I'd encourage you to gain some experience through either jobs, internships, or volunteering while you pursue your career. and I say this because I found that there's quite a few people who were afraid of making the wrong decision when it comes to choosing a career. So I would challenge you to change your goal as you're making the decision.

Let me explain. If your goal in deciding a career is to choose the correct one, then there's a lot of pressure on the line for you. But if you reformat your goal to learning more about what you want in life, then regardless of whether you stay in that job, your goal is still accomplished because you'll either learn that you love that job or would prefer something else.

the reason why I'm bringing this up is because many people have this analysis paralysis problem when it comes to their future. And they think about all the things that can go wrong, and if for some reason they choose the wrong career, then they wasted all that time and energy. For me, I pursued firefighting for about seven years and I am not a firefighter.

But I didn't waste that time. In fact, during my pursuit, I became an ambulance operator and to this day, I have used my medical knowledge to treat many people who got hurt around me. Including my students and the players that I've coached.

Into in my pursuit of law enforcement. I learned about discipline and attention to detail, and I applied those principles in my classroom back when I was a teacher. and when I worked as a beverage distributor, I learned that I need to go back to college if I want a career that I actually enjoy.

So in the same way that Jesus gave his disciples experience for the future, you also need to see the value of experience and to get some under your belt. so as you decide on a career, instead of making the right choice, your goal make learning your goal. the analogy I always use is you can't steer a parked car.

Or in other words, learn to grow as you make steps in life. You see, I learned that I didn't want to be a firefighter because I pursued firefighting, and I learned I didn't want to be a police officer because I pursued law enforcement. so for you make decisions and get jobs and pursue careers and learn.

That way you can gain experience not just for your career but also for your future. And step number five. Talk to people who have your desired career.

Proverbs chapter 15, verse 22. Without counsel. Plans go awry.

But in the multitude of counselors, they are established. In this passage, King Solomon says that things go wrong when there's no counsel, but when there's a lot of people who can provide counsel, their safety. So if you're looking for a career, one of the best things that you can do is to get counsel.

And some of the best people to get counsel from are from those who have the career that you want. I remember back when I was a teacher, one of the classes that I taught was personal finance for high school seniors, and I taught students how to build a resume, how to interview, how to budget, how to save, and how to look for apartment and stuff. And every time I covered the career unit, I'd ask everyone what they wanted to do.

and every year, I'd get people who wanted to be nurses. and then I'd get flashbacks of when I worked in an ambulance and I remember how physically and mentally demanding it was for the nurses that I worked with. and then I'd ask my students who wanted to be nurses if they've ever volunteered at a hospital or have shadowed or interviewed a nurse to see how tiring the job was.

And from what I remember, nearly all of them said no. And then I told them that while they may want to be nurses, they need to understand what being a nurse actually entails. And one of the best ways you can figure all that out is to talk to professionals who have that job that you're considering.

That way you can ask them what's the worst part of their job? And what they did to get their job and what their day to day schedule looks like. Another reason why this is important is because schools are expensive.

For example, some nursing schools can cost well over $100,000. And it would probably hurt a bit if you were in $100,000 worth of debt, And you figured out later that you don't actually like being a nurse. So one of the best things that you can do when looking for a career is to do everything you can to find someone who has the job that you want, and then to learn from their experience so you can better know what you're getting yourself into.

Because like the passage says in the multitude of counselors, they're safety. So go and try and find people who can counsel you. And if you don't know where to look, start asking everyone you know family, friends, classmates and coworkers.

And if they don't know anything, put yourself in places where you can network and make those kinds of connections. one place that can help is going to a community college to see if there are any classes that prepare people for that career that you want. or maybe try going to that business you like, or reach out to them through their social media.

Okay. So if you need help deciding a career, follow these five steps. Look at how God made you make a decision.

Be in constant communication with God. Get experience and talk to people who have your desired career. And as an additional tip, try not to be too stressed when it comes to choosing a career.

So if you find yourself worried, remember Proverbs chapter three verses 5 to 6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. I'd say the ultimate key to finding a career is just thinking of God and His will. As you make plans, take steps and gain experience.

Because by doing so, he'll show you which path you ought to take. So also remember Matthew chapter six, verse 33. Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.

to close. I remember as I was pursuing law enforcement, I passed the written test. Went on a right along, had the perfect resume, and I had all the right connections.

And when I was done filling out the application, I told God, God, if you don't want me in law enforcement, tell me today, because I'm turning in my application tomorrow. And I'll make the long story short and tell you that that day, God made it absolutely clear to me that law enforcement was not in his well. And because God led me, I'm now on a team that's getting ready to move to Japan this year.

And I have an amazing career as a Bible teacher. So as you make plans, hold them with an open hand. Meaning if God says no, you're okay with it because God may actually be preparing you for something better.

So I wish you well as you move forward in your future and in your pursuits. I hope you always remember Jesus loves you.