Why Greater Faith Doesn’t Always Equal Greater Success

For over 30 years, I’ve been a Recruiter. For almost 20 years, I’ve been active in helping people in job transition through Crossroads Career. For over 8 years, I’ve done professional Outplacement coaching for people who have been laid off from their jobs. Through all the encounters I’ve had with people in job transition, many of those who have faith in Jesus Christ express some form of this belief:

“If I could figure out God’s plan for my career, or if I really lean into His will, then things will fall into place.”

It’s a nice idea, and people have good intentions with that. However, it’s not based in reality and isn’t typically how God works in our lives. He’s not our genie in a bottle to eliminate our problems and difficulties.

He CAN do all that, and sometimes does. But it’s not our place to presume on Him for our worldly desires or to expect that He will automatically do whatever we ask. I know, and have experienced God’s answered prayers in my life. However, the answers are not always what I expected.

He knows things, sees things, and understands what is truly best for me in ways I can’t comprehend. (Isaiah 55:8)

What God Really Wants for Us

In scripture, I’m always reminded of the life of the Apostle Paul. He may have been one of the most faithful followers of Christ in the whole Bible. However, no matter how close he was to God, no matter how obedient he was in his devotion to Christ, and no matter how faithful he was in going where God directed him, his life was FULL of great difficulties and hardship.

Paul was brutally beaten and nearly stoned to death. He was shipwrecked, bitten by venomous snakes, shunned and chased out of town, imprisoned, and executed. He spoke of the “thorn” in his flesh, pleading with the Lord that it should leave him, but it was not removed. (2 Corinthians 12:7-8)

All of this sounds pretty encouraging so far… doesn’t it??? Not really! Stay with me though…

God is more concerned about our relationship with Him, our character, and how we can be used by Him in the lives of other people than He is in our comfort, our worldly success, or a problem-free life.

Sometimes, He MAY guide us to a job that is the right choice for us, yet turns out to feel disappointing, maybe with poor leadership, toxic culture, unsatisfying work, or other challenges. However, it was a place where you learned to be more dependent on Him, to trust Him more each day, to seek Him for peace and satisfaction. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) And to be used by Him to be a light and encouragement to other people around you. Drawing them to Him through seeing you live out your faith on a daily basis. (Matthew 5:16)

Over my career, I’ve talked to people who seem to twist themselves into knots trying to figure out the career or specific job that God may be calling them into. While I do believe that God has specific vocational callings for SOME people, I think the Bible also shows us that He gives us a great deal of freedom to choose for ourselves and pursue those things that He enabled us to do with talents, abilities, and passion. All for the service of others. (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 7:24; 1 Peter 4:10)

See Your Greater Purpose

Often, people struggle to find work that is fulfilling. However, I have seen people find fulfillment in the most mundane tasks when they view it in light of the greater purpose for what they are doing.

There’s an old fable of two bricklayers (paraphrased here)… A man walking down the street comes up to a construction site and sees two masons laying bricks. He asks the first one what he’s doing, and the gruff reply is… can’t you see, it’s obvious that I’m laying bricks! The man moves on and asks the same question of the second mason. His reply is… I’m building a beautiful office building where people will be able to come and live out their life’s work, they will be able to provide for their families, gain new abilities and successes. I’m building the place that will greatly impact many lives!

Each one was doing the same task, but one had a greater view of his work and greater fulfillment in it. Whether you manufacture widgets or save lives as a surgeon, your fulfillment comes from the view of what you do. When we do it for a greater purpose—ideally as a means of serving and worshiping God—we will always find fulfillment. (Colossians 3:22-24)

Lean into Your Faith

A job search can be challenging and is almost always an emotional roller-coaster. Leaning into our faith in Christ through reading scripture and praying for wisdom and discernment to do the right things and make good choices will give us peace and we will feel His work and presence in our lives. However, that does not mean it will make the process easier, produce faster results, or land you in a problem-free position.

It will mean that you will gain a greater sense of His peace that transcends our understanding (Philippians 4:7), that He will walk with us in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in (Deuteronomy 31:8), and that you can be used by Him in the lives of other people (Matthew 5:16).

Faith and trust in Jesus Christ with our lives doesn’t take away all of our difficulties. However, it does give us strength to face troubles in this world, peace in the face of challenges, wisdom and discernment to make better choices, and purpose and fulfillment through being used by Him in the lives of others. And it gives us a confidence that ultimately we can live with Him in a trouble-free eternity.

That’s a pretty good deal!!!

Harry

Harry Urschel has over 30 years of experience as a Recruiter and currently is an independent Retained Executive Search Consultant and Executive Outplacement Coach. He also leads the Minnesota Crossroads ministry?out of Grace Church in Eden Prairie.

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