Will God Call Me to a Career I Don’t Enjoy?

Ask Pastor John
Episode: 768

[terryrocksj]

God put me in a good job that I do enjoy amid some lazy/bad workers. The only problem now is that I do night shifts and my body can no longer handle it. I thank the lord for giving me this good paying job but I just can't do night shifts anymore. Almost 9 years and you never get used to it. I pray that the Lord opens doors and gives me a decent paying job that can get my body acclimated back to days.

[Christina_]

If someone reads this PLEASE pray for me I am unemployed and although I am scared of not having income, I know God is good. I am praying for a career.

[supshirlz]

Work for the Lord and not to man (Colossians 3:23) I'm currently in a job position that I do not find enjoyment in however I realized that God calls us to these seasons of patience to teach us more about Him and become more like Him.. so in whatever situation you're given be content bc that is God's will for you :)

[antoniostorcke]

If God puts you in a job that you can do well and keep, you are blessed.

[PrestigeWorldWide]

I’ve experienced hard work, hot weather, long days/nights, and miserable conditions. Away from home and family. I had a dream since I was young. I almost achieved it. Over a decade since that dream died. I can’t stop thinking about it. I’ve remembered to say thank you God for provision and never letting me go hungry or without shelter. This gift is more than most have. I’ve prayed for this dream to stop haunting me and to take away the feeling of failure with it. The door has been shut and no mortal man can open it. Only God himself. Someday I say to myself, not entirely believing those desperate thoughts. I lack nothing though, far from it! I have a family, whom I love and will sacrifice for. They are more precious than my dreams. I’m just tired. Really tired. Lord Jesus come quickly. I remember this is not my eternal home.

[khushbugupta]

I just want to share I have been working from past 3 yrs and I never got that satisfaction whether it was work or colleague . I thought may be my fault and I need to change my perspective even working night and day I can't see any appraises from my manager . I would request you all to pray for me so that I would be able to succeed in getting a new job which I can enjoy .

[heartofalittleartists]

I also don't have a job this time, im praying that may God Bless me a Job which I can still glorify his expansion of his Kingdom. Praying for a peaceful Job.

[rachelledellinger]

Easier said then done! Some jobs are just soul sucking. At that point I think it’s time to move on.

[smazziszaz]

Skills and passions and longings inside us are purposefully put IN by God to fulfill His purpose for each of us in the earth. And He will obviously put desires and talents for our purpose.
🤷🏼‍♀️i dont know why that's not obvious to people. A bad job, in my opinion, doesn't mean ur gonna be there forever. Its just a detour. There's a reason God put dreams and desires in you to do something specific, something you've always enjoyed doing. Its obvious He planned for you to do something that is related to a certain desire or skill or talent u got. God didn't create people who hate math to become mathematicians, nor did He create people who can't dance/like dancing to be dancers. He made people who like to lead become leaders, and He made fishes who have fins, scales and tails to swim in water, not fly in the air like a bird and suffocate to death on dry ground.
Skill + desire : purpose.

[thundergrace]

Pray to be fruitful. Thanks. Be thankful ....

[kekort]

I hate it when people change a person's question to make it easier to answer. Just answer the question as it's asked. People are hurting out here.

[wildricerust]

Good reminder of God's ability to give us joy in all circumstances if we are open to it.

[Piccolo_Re]

I hate my job and it drains me and sucks the life out of me. I can’t find any jobs I like to apply to that pay enough to cover my mortgage and living expenses.

[mcr]

Be grateful, joyful, and prayerful in all circumstances

[LOG]

Excellent answer, Pastor John! God bless you!

[WWIIKittyhawk]

Well I’ve always done jobs I don’t enjoy. Still waiting to be blessed.

[MissCandy]

You don’t like your job, leave. Find an employer that appreciates you and is concerned with your professional growth and development. If there’s no work/life balance or you’re being underpaid or disrespected, then plan your exit. You might have to get certifications or take some classes to get a better job, but do not stay in misery. I just left a job where I was never “off.” I was on call when I left the office and they had mandatory overtime in the evenings and weekends. When I had the flu and was in the hospital, they gave me a laptop so I could still check emails even though I wasn’t being paid. I refuse to work in those type of conditions.

[adamtr]

There was a time in my life where I was doing security and I absolutely loved it but I wasn’t making much so I ask god to bless my income and I found a better job with a better pay within a few weeks and I was there for almost two years and I absolutely hated it, I was still doing security part time so I had no problem with an income but I wanted something I enjoyed I finally had an opportunity to do full time security with the same company I was doing with my part time and I made just the same or a little more depending on the site. I believe God wants you to enjoy what you do and whatever kind of work you do or think you want to do. Ask God for wisdom and then go for it. If you don’t like it you can always quiet and try something else but god will lead the way.

[solaceboy]

What I don't understand is that like my friends that went to college and graduated and are now working in their fields which they enjoy, I happened to be the one that didn't get that outcome. So, the answer is YES, because God owes us nothing. It's hard to do a job that I hate regardless if God is there with me, because we can know God is with us and feeling His presence are two different things.
I've asked Him, why did I even bother studying and praying for a career that I desired to be at in the first place. It just seemed like I was wasting God's and my time asking through prayer.
So, in all honesty, Mr. Piper eluded the question by giving us verses that relate to the question like "do it with joy and gladness, " but never said anything direct like that fact that Christians won't get the dream job they've always wanted.
So John Piper is wrong.

[westbreedlove]

Grateful for the wisdom and insight God has given Piper, always digging into the essence of the question (the question behind the question) and coming up with a sound, biblical answer.