Finding your vocation as a Christian

[mcarans]

I write in the linked article about how we find our vocations and my experience in doing so. I hope it is helpful to those who wonder what they are called to do.

Finding your vocation as a Christian : cruciformity

 

[mukk_in]

Thanks for the article. I've always been governed by this scripture, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10)". I've tried many careers before finally settling on teaching and research. Lord certainly took me places. Peace in Christ.

 

[com7fy8]

I had consistent doubts about my then job in investment banking. I grew increasingly to realise that I was not in a God-honouring profession and felt out of place

What were your issues? Maybe you could answer this with application to how other professions also might not be honorable.

I can imagine that you might have been in a position to help consumer greed and lusts for pleasure and security, among other things.

But in your present humanitarian data thing may be you can help get info and intel for knowing who needs help.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

If you find a job that fits you like 'a hand in a glove' you've probably found your 'occupational' ministry. God blessed me with my present job over 40 years ago and I've been happily serving ever since.

 

[com7fy8]

Typically the church has taught that work and faith are largely separate.

I have known various Bible trusting people who clearly understand that our jobs are first for reaching people for Christ. They put us in our mission fields. So, I am curious who you mean by "the church", here.

For example at an alumni function I met a Catholic priest who works for Opus Dei and who talked about continuing in the same line of work because it is good for there to be Christians in all organisations to hopefully make them work for the better.

Ok, so it is possible that a number of Catholics have separated priesthood from secular living. And so it can be deemed innovative for a priest to get a job in order to bring influence into the community and world.

But there are people who always have understood how Jesus would have them work for a living, but use their job place as a mission field.

And we all are in Jesus Christ's priesthood, according to what I read in our Apostle Peter's epistle > Peter says we are

"a royal priesthood" (in 1 Peter 2:9).

And included in the priesthood of Jesus is > Hebrews 4:15 >

"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

To me, this is clear how Jesus Himself went through things of life which we go through "in all points" so that now Jesus as our High Priest can feel for us and bless us with the grace which made Him do so well while going through everything we do . . . but without sin.

And so > I can see through this > how we join in this priesthood of Jesus, by using our experiences to help us feel for others and bless them with the grace which blesses us to do well while going through anything. Among other things, we with Jesus find how to love in our marriages and how to bring up our children, so now we can help others with their marriages, plus help single people to prepare for this.
And our Apostle Paul therefore gave very clear directions about who qualifies to "take care of the church of God" > 1 Timothy 3:1-10 > a family man who has proven himself at home and has become "blameless" in God's love maturing him with his wife > so now they can function in Christ's priesthood of using their experience and maturity of grace to help other married people and help single people to know how to relate in love and live in submission to how our Father cares for us and guides us in His own peace > Colossians 3:15. So, Paul wants people to go through things, themselves, so now they can have compassion for and help others; and by doing this, they can function in this priesthood of how Jesus went through things so now He can minister to us.

So, I am sure the Bible means how Christ's priesthood operates in marriage and the workplace.

Also, Paul says,

"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2)

To me, this shows how Jesus on Calvary was sweetly pleasing our Father while Jesus gave himself for us. He was sweet-smelling while He was making His sacrifice.

And Paul is clear > this is how we all are to walk. This means if we make our sacrifice of working, among other things, we are to be sweet-smelling to God while making our sacrifice. We do not waste ourselves and burn ourselves out in workaholic egotistical controlling, but we are gentle and humble "and you will find rest for your souls." (in Matthew 11:28-30)

So, we aren't burnt-out sacrifices but sweetly pleasing our Father.

And so we can test if we are doing what God has called us and is personally guiding us to do. Prayerfully test to see what God has us doing while we are obeying Him in His peace ruling us > Colossians 3:15 < this is basic to what we are "called in one body" to do; this is for every child of God. We do exactly what our Heavenly Father personally rules us to do in His peace. We prayerfully test, even at each moment, to see how God's peace has us be and has us see things, and to discover how our Creator's peace makes us creative to do what is loving each and every person.


And so, by being sweet-smelling in all our sacrifices, we are in the love which had Jesus on the cross sacrifice Himself for us. And so every one of us who obeys Ephesians 5:2 is functioning in the priesthood of Christ on the cross.

So, may be this is what you would mean by the universal cruciform priesthood, of all believers.

Jesus on the cross so suffered and died with hope for any and all people. And Paul says love "hopes all things", in 1 Corinthians 13:7. So, we are sharing with Christ on the cross, by having hope for any impossible person, at all, in our workplace and at home.

"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)

Jesus has been our Example, on the cross; and now we join His priesthood of example, by also feeding people our example.

 

[mcarans]

I have known various Bible trusting people who clearly understand that our jobs are first for reaching people for Christ. They put us in our mission fields. So, I am curious who you mean by "the church", here. Ok, so it is possible that a number of Catholics have separated priesthood from secular living. And so it can be deemed innovative for a priest to get a job in order to bring influence into the community and world.

But there are people who always have understood how Jesus would have them work for a living, but use their job place as a mission field.

And we all are in Jesus Christ's priesthood, according to what I read in our Apostle Peter's epistle > Peter says we are

"a royal priesthood" (in 1 Peter 2:9).

And included in the priesthood of Jesus is > Hebrews 4:15 >

"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

To me, this is clear how Jesus Himself went through things of life which we go through "in all points" so that now Jesus as our High Priest can feel for us and bless us with the grace which made Him do so well while going through everything we do . . . but without sin.

And so > I can see through this > how we join in this priesthood of Jesus, by using our experiences to help us feel for others and bless them with the grace which blesses us to do well while going through anything. Among other things, we with Jesus find how to love in our marriages and how to bring up our children, so now we can help others with their marriages, plus help single people to prepare for this.
And our Apostle Paul therefore gave very clear directions about who qualifies to "take care of the church of God" > 1 Timothy 3:1-10 > a family man who has proven himself at home and has become "blameless" in God's love maturing him with his wife > so now they can function in Christ's priesthood of using their experience and maturity of grace to help other married people and help single people to know how to relate in love and live in submission to how our Father cares for us and guides us in His own peace > Colossians 3:15. So, Paul wants people to go through things, themselves, so now they can have compassion for and help others; and by doing this, they can function in this priesthood of how Jesus went through things so now He can minister to us.

So, I am sure the Bible means how Christ's priesthood operates in marriage and the workplace.

Also, Paul says,

"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2)

To me, this shows how Jesus on Calvary was sweetly pleasing our Father while Jesus gave himself for us. He was sweet-smelling while He was making His sacrifice.

And Paul is clear > this is how we all are to walk. This means if we make our sacrifice of working, among other things, we are to be sweet-smelling to God while making our sacrifice. We do not waste ourselves and burn ourselves out in workaholic egotistical controlling, but we are gentle and humble "and you will find rest for your souls." (in Matthew 11:28-30)

So, we aren't burnt-out sacrifices but sweetly pleasing our Father.

And so we can test if we are doing what God has called us and is personally guiding us to do. Prayerfully test to see what God has us doing while we are obeying Him in His peace ruling us > Colossians 3:15 < this is basic to what we are "called in one body" to do; this is for every child of God. We do exactly what our Heavenly Father personally rules us to do in His peace. We prayerfully test, even at each moment, to see how God's peace has us be and has us see things, and to discover how our Creator's peace makes us creative to do what is loving each and every person.


And so, by being sweet-smelling in all our sacrifices, we are in the love which had Jesus on the cross sacrifice Himself for us. And so every one of us who obeys Ephesians 5:2 is functioning in the priesthood of Christ on the cross.

So, may be this is what you would mean by the universal cruciform priesthood, of all believers.

Jesus on the cross so suffered and died with hope for any and all people. And Paul says love "hopes all things", in 1 Corinthians 13:7. So, we are sharing with Christ on the cross, by having hope for any impossible person, at all, in our workplace and at home.

"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)

Jesus has been our Example, on the cross; and now we join His priesthood of example, by also feeding people our example.

I think in practice many churches steer clear of talking about people's careers and how they fit with their faith. I gave the example of Opus Dei who encourage people to stay in their existing jobs so that Christians hopefully shape the workplaces they are in for the better. While I can see their point, I think we can easily end up using that as an excuse not to follow a calling. In general, I don't hear teaching that says look at the sector you're in and the work you are doing and consider if it's consistent with your faith.

I was in investment banking not retail banking so it's not about dealing with customer banking. It's about trading which is increasingly about buying and selling shares in ever short timeframes (defeating the original purpose of shares and defrauding the average investor who can't get information as quickly). Think of the age old movie "Wall Street" to get an outdated view, but one which shows in an exaggerated way the greed in the industry.

My current job is about making data available quickly so that people's lives can be saved and improved.