The Work He Wants Us to Do

Reader email: How do you find passion for your job and have a great time yet not get sucked into the corporate focused side of not being like everyone else "climbing the ladder," also ( I guess this has turned out to be a two-fold question sorry) how do or did you find the balance between focusing on school and work but also focusing on God. I basically don't want him to be in the background. I've heard keep doing what you believe you're called to do and if he closes a door then try something else. --Joy, a Christ-following college student who blogs, lives and works in Florida

Colossians 3:23 (NLT) says "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people."

This was the first thought that came to mind after reading Joy's questions. Not that I do this all the time. Like most people, I have good days and bad days at work. I certainly don't carry this attitude nearly enough. It is comforting, though. I used to wonder why I didn't have a desire to be a pastor or a missionary, and it took me a few years to understand that there has to be light in the corporate world, too.

I think praying is the best solution here. Pray without ceasing about this until God leads you down a new path. Until then, stay the course.

When we were in college, it was pretty tough to stay completely focused on the Lord all the time. College kids are trying to figure out who they are, what they stand for and how to live on their own without mom and dad looking over their shoulder. It's a huge transition that leaves a lot of young adults lost through their college years. What really helped me was to get rooted in relationships that helped me grow as a Christian while in college. Here are a few things I was involved in that helped:

1. Campus worship. This was held in the Chapel on campus every Wednesday night. I always went. Kelsey always went, and I also went with a group of guys from my fraternity. It was a great midweek service to bring the focus back to God. I also worked at the chapel office during my junior year.
2. Revive. This was an off-campus ministry that focused on worship on Thursday nights. It was very intimate and held in a local coffee shop. It was a great place to connect with like-minded people to worship God.
3. Bible study. I joined a few different Bible studies throughout my time in college. They were all great in helping me grow as a Christian.
4. Chaplain. I held the position of chaplain in our fraternity for a semester. I formed a small Bible study there as well, and was able to pray for our fraternity at our weekly meetings. This was a great leadership opportunity that also helped me grow and stay focused on God.

As far as finding passion for your job in the corporate world, this can be tricky. Again, there is nothing wrong with being a successful career-driven person, but, again, remember to be working as if you are doing it for the Lord. I think getting connected as an adult is still just as important as when you are in college. It's a way to get filled up so that you can go to work and be a light to others. Here are some things that keep us focused as adults in the real world:

1. Life group. We formed a small group with friends we know at church. They provide great accountability on a weekly basis for us.
2. Blog. This blog has helped us stay focused on what is really important in life. It provides a creative outlet for us to share our faith with anyone who will read. It's really helped us establish who we are and what we believe in. Writing blog posts forces us to really think about what we believe.
3. Mentor others. We volunteered for our church's high school ministry for four years. It has the same effect as #2. Kids are so impressionable while in high school. There were a few other leaders that were in college at the time, so this is something you can do before you graduate.
4. Take classes. Our church offers a wide variety of classes to help people grow in their faith. I recently took a Discipleship and Mentoring class and we have also taken Alpha and the Marriage Course at our church.

We work for a company that has great values as well. This makes working there fun. Be sure to really investigate potential employers to be sure they uphold a values system that you are comfortable with. Sometimes you might not know this before starting, but if you discover that you are uncomfortable with how the company operates from an integrity/values standpoint, I would say look for a new job.

Do you have any other ways you stay focused on God in everyday life?