Calling, Career, and a Job

The call of God for each of us is personal and intimate.  Such a calling is what provides guidance and direction with all of life.  It is the key to experiencing a fulfilling life.

Yet, it is often so hard to discover!  Why?  Because we live in a fallen world, and we are part of that fallen creation.  We are sinners in need of grace.  Part of our sin tendency is that we are alienated from our true self.  We were created to know God perfectly, know others without walls or barriers, and to know ourselves including our truest inclinations and calling.  This is the honor of being created in the image of God!

The problem is that sin has entered the picture causing distortion in all these areas.  For some of us, the distortion in is greater than others.  Thus, our ability to hear "the call" can be suppressed, and so we lose our way.

Understanding our calling means having the ability to listen to someone else.  It implies attuning our attention to the voice of another.  In the ultimate case, it means attuning our ears, mind, and heart so we can hear what God is saying.  In my experience, most people take years to finally hear God's leading and call.  Even if they are given solid counsel from parents, friends, co-workers, and life, many move forward in life through willfulness or self-effort instead of in a posture of listening, prayer, and relationship with God that guides our relationship with others and ourself.

So what does this mean?  Many have not settled on their calling, but instead they have embraced a career. The word Career comes from the Latin word for "cart" and later from the Middle French word for "racetrack." (Dan Miller, 48 Days to the Work You Love, 39)  As Miller describes it,

Webster's dictionary defines career as "to run or move at full speed, rush wildly,"  In other words, you can go really fast for a long time but never get anywhere.  That is why in today's work environment, even physicians, attorneys, CPAs, dentists, and engineers may choose to get off the expected track and choose another career.  A career is a line of work, but not the only way to fulfill your calling.

Miller, 39.

I believe the misunderstanding of career and calling is one of the primary causes of mid-life crisis and the modern tendency to live for the weekend or for vacation.  So many people settle into the comfortable career track.  It is comfortable because it provides money, which provides security.  Yet, if it does not fulfill your calling, it will make you miserable.  

Finally, we come to a job.  A job is your daily activities that produce income.  In today's world, people change jobs every 3.2 years.  That means most people will have 14-16 jobs in a lifetime.  I know that I had about 10 different jobs before I ever heard of the idea of calling.  Now I can see how God used these experiences in my life, but at the time I had several jobs that just killed my soul.

How can this be?  If you are in a job that does not help you fulfill your calling, you will most likely hate it!  In the long-term, no job is worth the money if it does not fulfill your calling.  To make a job your career path without thought of how God made you will drive you to an early grave.

That being said, we still need to work!  Without work, we become self-absorbed.  Also, it is much easier to find a new job if you currently have a job.  So off to work at our job we go!

So what does this look like?  I will give two examples.  The first is from the fine book 48 Days to the Work You Love.  

Imagine three line workers at the Nissan plant here in middle Tennessee.  Each is asked, "What are you doing?"  The first responds, "I'm a welder- that's what they pay me for each Friday" (Job).  The second says, "I'm making a beautiful car today" (Career).  The third worker is thoughtful for a moment and then responds, "I'm helping to create innovative and responsible transportation for individuals, families, and companies" (Vocation).  These three workers, all doing the same work, define job, career, and vocation because of their different perspectives.  If you approach the understanding of your vocation first, you will find tremendous freedom in recognizing how many jobs can fulfill that vocation.

Miller, 41-42.

The second example is my own life.  I have come to discover that I am called to proclaim and live the glorious grace of God in Christ (the gospel).  He has not only called me to Himself, but He has set me apart to proclaim, explain, and live this truth.  This is my vocation or calling.  It took me thirty years to understand it and embrace it, but there it is!

So, I currently work as a pastor.  This is my career path.  It grants me a platform to proclaim, explain, and live the truth of the gospel.  It also provides me with income to support my family.  In the past, I also briefly followed the career path of teaching.  I found this career very fulfilling because it granted me a platform for fulfilling my calling.

While following these career paths, I also write, teach, and preach at conferences.  These are all extra jobs that help fulfill my calling, and they provide extra income to support my family.  

In the past couple of years, I have also worked as a landscaper, an organic meat farmer and salesman.  I can honestly say these jobs are not "fulfilling."  I enjoy parts of them, but from other parts I quickly grow tired and bored.  Yet, these jobs have fulfilled an important task in my calling.  They have provided extra and needed income.  For this I am thankful!    

I ask that you take some time today to think through the distinctions between jobs, careers, and calling (vocation).  Pray for grace to hear the voice of God so you get these different ideas in correct order!