How are you feeling about work these days? Do you love your job . . . or hate your job? Or . . . somewhere in between? Do you even have a job? If you could have any job you want, what would it be? Have you ever thought about the difference between a “job” and a “vocation”?
“Vocation is where our greatest passion meets the world’s greatest need” (Frederick Buechner). “Vocation” comes from Latin and means a “calling, or summons.” A true vocation comes from God. What do you see as the world’s greatest need? What is your greatest passion? Can you think of a way to use what you passionately love doing to help meet the world’s greatest need? This is likely God’s calling for you, although it may take you much of your life to get there!
I’ve also seen Beuchner quoted as saying “joy” (rather than “passion”). I don’t know if on various occasions he said it both ways, but I believe in his ideal. If we can find a job doing something that we believe in with a passion that energizes us . . . if we can make a living doing something that brings us true joy while ministering to the deep needs of others— what an ideal job that would be!
However, I think the majority of people are lucky to have work at all, and I’ll bet many fewer than 50% of people are presently working at their “ideal” job. This is one of the key issues with midlife crisis. People often feel “stuck,” unfulfilled, and overwhelmed by their workload. “Work” is called work because it’s hard, not because it’s fun or fulfilling or life-giving. We earn our keep by “the sweat of our face” (Genesis 3:19). Our Lord, in fulfilling his passionate purpose—to redeem us from sin through his death on the cross—was in agony and “sweat was as it were great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). Still, Jesus “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2). Somehow, Jesus was able to live out Beuchner’s ideal perfectly. Jesus’s greatest passion and joy intersected with our world’s greatest need: He died to save us from our sins and make it possible for us to be born again into eternal life.
I wonder, is it possible for us to reconcile our passion and joy with living a life so difficult we can hardly keep going? Jesus fell under the load of the cross, but he “set his face like a flint” and never gave up. Are we able to do the same?
During our work careers, God encourages us to work hard to provide for ourselves and our loved ones (see 1 Timothy 5:8). All honorable work is good work, and whether it’s tightening bolts on an automotive line or washing cars or sweeping floors, all such jobs help people and are worthy ways of supporting ourselves. No matter what we do to earn a living, God wants us to do it “heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24). If we do what we do to the best of our ability out of love for God and to love others, no matter how menial or difficult, we’re honoring God and can take joy in that!
However, I believe we have every reason and “right” to work hard toward the goal of obtaining a job where we can fully utilize our gifts and talents in a true vocation (see 1 Corinthians 7:21-22). Got a dream? Do you think it’s a dream God has given you? As we journey through this new year, let’s examine our lives. Are we doing “the right” thing? If not, what can we do to start working toward a true vocation? Also, how can we bring more passion and joy into our present job, so that we’re experiencing fulfillment right now?
Summer Setting 