In Job I Trust

Recently, I have found myself overwhelmed with the unpleasant combination of feeling pressure to make the "right" decisions concerning my future and an unavoidable longing to live multiple lives. No, not multiple lives like a Russian spy (see: Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie "True Lies"). I mean literally living six or seven entirely separate and unique lifetimes. You see, I cannot decide whether I should be a youth pastor, a musician, a marketing executive, an entrepreneur, a day-laborer, a consultant, or a shepherd. Ok, I'm not really considering becoming a shepherd...but you get the idea. The question, then is "Does it really even matter?" I mean, mustn't we believe that God will meet us wherever we are? There is so much banter in the Christian world about "following God's will" and "choosing the path that God has lined up for us".

First of all...God will most certainly take care of His business with or without me. And second, why am I so concerned with "helping" God rather than serving Him. That's like having an ant "help" a team of oxen pull a wagon. Am I living my life with the audacity that each avenue of interest that I explore would best be served by...well, me? I felt the same way in school. I would consistently do entire group projects more or less by myself because I was afraid of other people either:

A. Doing a poor job (that I would have to correct later) or...
B. Doing things (gasp!) their own way

Both of these awkward disturbances that I had in my ability to trust others stem solely from incredible selfishness. It seems that the same lack of trust I had in my fellow students has translated into a distrust of my God. Of that, I am ashamed.

Of course, God uses His people to fulfill His work. But, let us not delude ourselves into thinking that our help is required. It is by God's grace that we are blessed to be active participants in His workmanship. I am more focused on trying to please the Lord (and of course, fulfilling my own dreams) with my choice of career rather than engaging in relationship with Him.

There exists a distinct (yet too often subtle) difference between a person's job and his vocation. Shouldn't we be "vocational" Christians? No, that does NOT mean that each and every Christ-follower should drop what they are doing and go to seminary. What does that mean? Well, much of our culture (Ameri-Christian pop-culture) has mistakenly left "ministry" to ordained church employees. Sure, people do volunteer work, assist troubled motorists, and attend church regularly. But, where along the line did we up and abandon Christ's call to engage culture and move towards the consummation of Christ's marriage to the Church (body of Christ...not a denomination or a building)?

Love God. Love neighbor. This is our mission. Let us examine who/what/where in our lives is in need of Christ's love...and let us go there.

-- Brimas