On the edge of making a big career choice? Perhaps you’re contemplating a change, or you’re on the verge of quitting your job. As Christians, our decision-making involves aligning choices with biblical principles and seeking guidance from the Word of God. Discerning the path ahead is more than a waiting game. It involves actively engaging in the decision-making process, embracing wisdom, and understanding our responsibilities as stewards of the talents, resources, and opportunities entrusted to us by God.
If you’ve read parts 1 & 2, you understand how and why we are called to take proactive steps in our career journey, but at this point, you may be grappling with just how to do that in a way that honors God and offers you faithful reassurance that you are on a good path.
That’s why we’ve created this checklist to offer you practical assurance and spiritual confidence that can lead you to a bold career for Christ, doing your most exceptional work for the glory of God and the good of others.
This checklist is not a definitive guide but aims to spark contemplation on nuanced topics that are often overlooked when making career choices. Let’s dive into questions that can help you evaluate your motives and considerations of your upcoming career change.
Prioritizing Your Relationship with Christ: Navigating Career Choices with Spiritual Awareness
Will this new career path encourage a deeper relationship with Christ?
Knowing and following Jesus is always our top priority! Your answer to this question might be a “no” if this change would encourage you to depend on yourself and the world more than you do on God. If your answer is an honest, “no,” it doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t take the job. It does mean that you should be hyper-aware of this tendency and intentionally continue relying on God.
Seeking God’s Kingdom First: Matthew 6:33 tells us to, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”. In the pursuit of a new career, this verse challenges us to evaluate whether the change aligns with seeking God’s kingdom above personal desires or ambitions.
Reflecting on Eternal Significance: Matthew 16:26 reminds us, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” While pursuing professional success is not inherently wrong, it must align with the overarching goal of glorifying God and preserving the eternal well-being of the soul.
As you navigate your career shift, be sure your commitment to seeking God’s kingdom is your cornerstone, ensuring that every career choices you make reflects your relationship with Christ.
Making Disciples Through Your Work: A Purposeful Approach to Professional Life
Will this career change provide more opportunities to connect with people, share the gospel, and strengthen their faith? How can my time, energy, and resources be used to make a positive impact on others?
Connecting with People & Sharing the Gospel: Does the environment or industry provide natural avenues for building relationships and engaging in meaningful conversations? Identify ways to incorporate your faith into your daily interactions, demonstrating Christ’s love through your words and actions.
Strengthening Faith: Does the nature of your work positively impact the faith of those around you? Look for opportunities to mentor or encourage colleagues, clients, or team members.
Leading by Example: Consider how your conduct and work ethic can serve as a testament to your faith. Strive to be a positive influence, demonstrating integrity, compassion, and humility in your professional life.
A purposeful professional life goes beyond personal success; it becomes a channel through which we actively participate in God’s mission. This purpose-driven approach not only enriches our own lives but also contributes to the broader mission of making disciples in all aspects of our journey.
Stewardship of God’s Gifts: Navigating Your Career with Purpose
Will this new path allow you to be a better steward of the resources, talents, and opportunities entrusted to you?
Consider Your Spiritual Gifts: Does your potential career choices allow you to utilize your spiritual gifts, the unique qualities and abilities God has given you? Whether it’s leadership, compassion, teaching, or other gifts, aligning your career with your spiritual strengths ensures that your daily work becomes an expression of worship.
Spheres of Influence: Does your prospective career enable you to positively affect the spheres of influence in your life: your family, friends, colleagues, and community? Being mindful of your influence on others is a crucial element of stewardship, allowing you to contribute positively to the well-being of those within your reach.
Making a Difference: Will this new path enable you to be a light, demonstrating God’s love, grace, and justice in your work? Your career should allow you to impact the world for Christ, embodying the principles of stewardship on a broader scale.
Consider how this career path uses your spiritual gifts and impacts your spheres of influence, and embrace a career that not only fulfills your professional aspirations but also honors God through faithful stewardship of the gifts He has entrusted to you.
Alignment with Moral Teachings in the Bible: A Guiding Light in Career Choices
Does the career path contradict any moral teachings in the Bible?
Guarding Against Unethical Practices: Does this job tempt you to participate in activities that compromise your commitment to ethical conduct and righteous living? Be cautious about embracing shortcuts or participating in activities that go against scripture. Whether it’s dishonest business dealings, exploitation, or any form of deceit.
Wealth Motivations: Evaluate the motivations behind your career choices, especially concerning salary and wealth. Guard against the allure of get-rich-quick schemes or pursuits that prioritize financial success at the expense of ethical integrity. Choose a path that allows you to steward your resources faithfully and contribute to the flourishing of others rather than fostering greed or selfish ambitions.
Social and Environmental Responsibility: Ensure that your professional endeavors contribute positively to society and uphold values of care for creation. Avoid careers that involve exploitation of resources or disregard for the well-being of others.
Be vigilant against unethical practices, unjust actions, misplaced motivations, and irresponsible behavior, ensuring that every step you take in the professional realm honors God and His Word.
Serving a Higher Purpose: Embracing God’s Mission in Your Career Journey
Does the career path have a God-given mission that aligns with your genuine desire to serve Him?
A new career is more than securing a job; it involves aligning your professional journey with a mission that resonates with God’s calling for your life. Consider the following aspects as you explore whether this next career path aligns with your genuine desire to serve God.
Connecting Work to the Kingdom: Your career is not isolated from your is a means through which you can actively participate in God’s unfolding story. Whether you are in business, healthcare, education, or any field, see how your daily tasks and overarching goals align with the values and principles of God’s kingdom; your work becomes a form of worship when it resonates with God’s mission.
Reflecting God’s Character: Are you positioned to showcase qualities like love, integrity, compassion, and justice through your professional endeavors? Your career becomes a testimony to God’s transformative power when it becomes a platform for expressing His nature.
Seeking Eternal Impact: How does the work have a lasting impact on individuals, communities, and the kingdom of God? Strive for a career that leaves a legacy of positive influence and contributes to His kingdom.
Your career becomes a channel through which you actively participate in God’s redemptive plan, contributing to the flourishing of His creation and reflecting His glory in every aspect of your professional life.
Building a Legacy for Christ, Not Yourself: Crafting a Career of Lasting Significance
Are you seeking to build a legacy that glorifies Christ, or are you driven by a desire for personal significance?
Guard against inventing a calling that exalts your name instead of Christ’s, and consider the following reflections as you navigate your career path with the intention of building a legacy for Christ rather than yourself.
Christ-Centered Significance: Evaluate whether your professional journey aligns with principles that reflect the character of Christ, such as love, humility, compassion, and servant leadership. Seek opportunities that allow you to emulate Christ’s example in the workplace, fostering an environment of grace, integrity, and genuine care for others.
Guarding Against Self-Exaltation: Ask yourself whether your pursuits are motivated by a desire for personal recognition, wealth, or status. A Christ-centered legacy is built on selflessness and humility, acknowledging that any significance or success achieved is a reflection of God’s grace and guidance.
Authentic Calling vs. Self-Invention: An authentic calling is rooted in prayer, discernment, and a genuine desire to fulfill God’s plan. On the other hand, self-invention often involves the pursuit of ambitions that may not necessarily align with God’s will but cater to personal desires for fame or success.
By aligning your professional journey with Christ’s teachings and purpose, you can contribute to a legacy that glorifies Him and leaves a lasting impact on the lives of those around you.
How to Use This Career Checklist
This checklist isn’t a scorecard for God’s approval or disapproval. Instead, it encourages deep reflection, prayer, biblical research, and seeking counsel within your Christian community. Follow Christ above all else, live in accordance with scripture, and persist in seeking clarity for your calling.
Remember, your career is not just a job but an opportunity to live out your faith and make a meaningful impact for the kingdom of God.
If you are struggling through analysis paralysis, doubt, or fear as you try to find the work you were made for, schedule a free 30-minute career strategy call to see if 1:1 coaching is the right resource for you.
Listen to the full episode here.
