The question that I pose to the forum is how has God revealed his plan to you concerning your life? I am curious because for some time now (about two years) I've been wrestling with this. It has been a mental pinpong of sorts in trying to learn what God's will is for my life as concerning a career. I am currently active duty in the armed forces (NAVY). I've enjoyed my time thus far. But, I'm at a cross roads at this point because I'm not fully satisfied with what I'm doing. I feel that God has great things in store for me but have absolutely no idea of the path he wants me to go in order to get to what he's planned for me. I'm actively praying and seeking God for what he wants to do with my life and He remains silent. I will continue to trust Him for strength and guidance. What are your thoughts?
Hi Truthseeker,
I certainly can empathize with your current state, I have been there, but in my case it was self inflicted, He turned it into an incredible blessing. A few years back (when I was in my early 40's) I made a series of boneheaded decisions that cost me my job as Southeastern U.S. Regional Sales Manager for a manufacturing company. I was humbled and crushed to the point of having to work out of a labor pool for minimum wage. I won't get into all the details of how I went from expense accounts, perks and 3 martini lunches to the lowest of the low but believe me, it was a multi faceted scourging, including courts, jail, probation officers, loss of a drivers license, etc.
Anyway, little did I realize nor would I have believed it at the time but the Lord was leading me right there and through all these things for an earthly situation much improved over my former "Prestige Job" and ultimately a spiritual situation that I had absolutely no idea even existed.
As I had done in previous times of self induced misery I took out my bible, dusted it off and began reading, looking for comfort and hope, I remember Job and the story of Joseph as being particularly relevant to my situation although to me it seemed that these two were REALLY being led of the Lord to a greater understanding and prominance whereas I believed it was my own "free will" which got me to this desperate place. Most everything I read went miles over my (carnal) head.
What I did manage to gleen from my reading is that when we fall, or are tripped up, or pushed down, or lost in the wilderness is DO NOT LOSE FAITH, do not quit and most of all seek to do the very best in all situations while trusting in Him, for me at that time I really had no choice in the matter, I can see now He had me right where He wanted me.
I had to show up at 5:00 AM to sign in and wait for my name to be called to get a work ticket, to be assigned a job, sometimes the job itself did not start until 8 AM so some days were pretty long for the measly pay, but I had a weirdly optimistic feeling as I dug ditches, swept warehouses, unloaded trucks, labored at construction sites, etc. the people I was working for on these jobs began asking me if I was interested in joining their company and/or calling the labor pool office and either requesting me or thanking them for sending me to their jobsite.
The General Manager of 3 of these offices happened to take a couple of these calls and decided he wanted to get to know this guy who was getting these good reviews, he began to personally drive me to my assignments while we would talk about everything under the sun, and how the heck did I get to the point of having to work for him? After a few days of this he offered me a job in the office, it took a total of about 7 weeks to go from a grunt to the office.
The people he had in the office (the Office Manager especially) were not especially competent and seemed to relish being authoritarian and lording over many of the workers, they also had a limited grasp on how to cultivate good customer relations, more and more I started to step in and do the things they were either unwilling or incapable of doing, within 2 months I was the new Office Manager.
This office had been more or less the redheaded stepchild of the chain, usually only getting out about 25 to 30 people a day after a few months of treating the workers better, following up with customers and personally visiting the sites we had the number of workers going out double, within the year it tripled. My boss was handing me raises and bonuses like crazy, within a year I was now making about 25% more than I was at my former job!
There is a lot more I could add to this story, the blessings continued to where I am now as a Senior Manager in a Construction (Home Building) Company and all the while leading me spiritually, at first seeking "the true church" then "stumbling" on to Bible Truths, but I am running a bit too long here as it is. Let me finish this post with (I believe) some relevant scripture.
From
Matthew Chapter 6 25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe