Have you ever missed a call you wished you had picked up? I’ve done that a number of times. Particularly in our current world of bots and scam calls, whenever I hear my cell phone ring and see a number I don’t recognize, I don’t answer the call and let it roll into voicemail. Half the time, no message is left for me, and the other half when the caller leaves a message I’m still usually glad I didn’t pick up the call.
However, occasionally that unknown number calling is from a person I actually wanted to speak with. I just didn’t recognize the number and wasn’t expecting a call.
How about a call from God? Ever missed it because you were too busy, didn’t recognize the number, or maybe even didn’t recognize His voice?
Here’s another question for you. Has anyone ever asked you how to chart out a career path? I’ve been asked that multiple times, and I am fairly consistent with my answer: Career paths don’t exist. The only ones I’ve ever heard of are when we can look back in hindsight at the career path already traveled and follow the breadcrumbs as to how one job led to another.
Prayerfully Plan Your Steps
Now I’m not suggesting you don’t develop a plan for your career. Just the opposite. I’m a huge proponent of envisioning your future and prayerfully laying out a plan to achieve the goals the Lord has laid on your heart.
I’m just saying that most of the time the calls that come and the path that unfolds are not able to be seen… unless we experience stepping forward in faith to just do the next thing with what the best option is at the time. In my experience, the full blueprint we’d like to see outlining the career we’re trying to build doesn’t materialize the way we envision it.
My personal experience certainly reflects that. My professional career started with Arthur Andersen, one of the “Big 8” public accounting firms, as a staff auditor. After becoming a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA), I came to grips with the reality that I didn’t care that much about Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), so I moved into an operational Human Resources job within Andersen. No grand plan, the move just seemed to be the right thing to do at the time. I recall praying about it, but no material spiritual illumination other than to just get out of doing audits. 🙂
From there I left Andersen and worked at a corporate travel agency operation in the finance and then sales function. Then back to Andersen HR and Operations, then to UnitedHealth Group (UHG) as a Chief Administrative Officer in one of the business segments, Optum Health. Then UHG started to do some corporate culture work, and I was asked to lead that effort. That turned into a nine year experience before my services were no longer needed.
The past six years has led to my current gig portfolio consisting of: Crossroads Career, SPARK Your Culture, Covenant Outfitters, and Deer Ponds.
I don’t think there’s any way I could forecast the paths that I’ve walked (and run!), and the multiple calls I’ve taken from God’s Word and His peace giving me assurances along the way.
After God’s primary call to each of us to follow Him and to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), at Crossroads Career we subscribe to the premise that He has a call for each of us in our vocations.
Living Out Your Faith at Work
We believe in living out our faith at work, but to do that you’ve got to have work! Also, if you’re unfulfilled with your work, you won’t be the best at living out your faith there if you don’t find the work meaningful and fitting with the way God created you.
Here are some insights I’ve enjoyed seeing. Mattson and Miller counsel in “Finding A Job You Can Love”:
“The contents of your personal history are not random or accidental. Your unique personality, character, and talents have done much to shape the important events in your life. There is a clear, strong, connection between who you are and what you have done…. You may or may not be pleased with the way you carried out your design, but at least be pleased that you are God’s handiwork (Eph. 2:10). You were designed with specific gifts and a motivation to use those gifts.”
William Placher, in his book, “Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Wisdom on Vocation” prompts:
“If the God who made us has figured out something we are supposed to do, however — something that fits how we were made, so that doing it will enable us to glorify God, serve others, and be most richly ourselves — then life stops seeming so empty; my story has meaning as part of a larger story ultimately shaped by God.”
One last reference from “The Accidental Executive,” where author Al Erisman refers us to the Genesis story of Joseph:
“How did Joseph achieve career satisfaction and a true sense of calling? He didn’t get to do a skills inventory, choose his university, and then interview for a variety of positions that would provide the best outcome. He worked for his father, worked as a slave, worked in prison, and was finally appointed to his position as CEO of the Egyptian International Food Company by Pharaoh, without any real opportunity to make a decision.”
When I think back to characters throughout the Scriptures, none of them had career paths, but all of them answered God’s call. Sometimes reluctantly, many times without knowing where it would take them, but in faith moving forward with what God put in front of them.
Questions to Consider
I think all of us have that opportunity today. Here are some questions to consider:
- Are you looking for God’s call?
- Will you know it when it comes?
- Are you willing to answer it, in faith?
- Are you willing to put your plans aside for His?
- Through the Holy Spirit’s power, will you simply follow?
I’ve had to answer those questions throughout my career’s winding journey, and I’m still not done answering them. I believe I’m on the right path following Him right now, but He can call at any time! 🙂 I’ve got to check in daily!
John 3:27 is one of my favorite verses. John the Baptist is responding to his disciples, “John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.”
He is referencing that Jesus Christ has arrived and he, along with all his disciples, should follow Christ. He recognizes that the season he had of proclaiming Christ’s coming has been fulfilled, and he now needs to pivot to a message that Jesus is no longer coming…He had arrived!
Everything we have comes from heaven. The vocations and careers we work, we pursue, we at times worry about…they all come from God. He has equipped each of us to do different things, and we are uniquely created to do the work that He has prepared for us long ago (Eph. 2:10). We’ve created a couple practical analogies in this area for you in both our blog on unique distinctions, linked HERE, and our blog on making your resume distinctive, linked HERE.
I’m hopeful you’re encouraged to dive deep into His Word – – His will for us is written there for us to follow.
I’m also hopeful you’ll be tuning into His voice through prayer and wise counsel – – He has given each of us communication and communities to be used by Him.
Last, I’m hopeful the Crossroads Career resources can prove useful and encouraging to you, whether you’re unemployed or unfulfilled. Our Crossroads Guides are standing by to listen to your story and lend you wisdom from theirs! Click HERE now to schedule a free 45 minute consultation with one of our Guides.
Blessings!
Dave Sparkman currently serves as the volunteer Crossroads Career board chair and local ministry leader. He is also the founder and managing director of Spark Your Culture, a corporate culture consulting firm. Prior to that he worked at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune #5 public company, serving in the role of Chief Culture Officer. His unemployment experience came from the implosion of Arthur Andersen, where he served as the West Region Managing Partner, People.
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