Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
–Colossians 3:23–24
In John 10:10, Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Contrary to what most people think, we don’t have to wait until we die to enjoy the eternal life Jesus promised. Eternal life refers to not just a quantity of life but also a quality of life. And Jesus wants us to experience a joy-filled, purposeful life here and now.
One important facet of experiencing that abundant life is to find your calling. If you spend 70 percent of your waking hours at your job, then doesn’t it make sense that Jesus would care about what that job is?
You might say, “That doesn’t apply to me. I’ve already found my job.” That may be true, but is that job your calling in life? Or you might say, “I’m retired. I have my pension and Social Security checks, so I don’t need a job anymore.” Did you know retirement is an unbiblical idea? People in Scripture didn’t retire. No, you may change your job, but you’re not to spend twenty years of your life simply figuring out how to entertain yourself every day. That was never God’s purpose. God wants you to lead a meaningful and productive life at every stage. He has a calling for you.
He communicates His plan to us in a variety of ways. He speaks through the Bible, through prayer, through wise counsel, through our desires, and sometimes through supernatural signs and circumstances. And depending on the decision we’re trying to make, we may consult one or more of those methods to determine God’s direction.
When it comes to finding the right job, you certainly want to pray about it, and you ought to seek wise counsel. I want to suggest three primary methods for finding your God-given calling: understanding the biblical principle about work, discovering your desires, and exercising practicality.
