Wouldn’t it be great if every job we had leveraged our God-given skills in an environment that honored Him and contributed to our spiritual development?
Unfortunately, at one time or another (perhaps right now), most of us have been stuck in jobs not aligned with our spiritual gifts or God’s purpose for our lives. Instead, we had to take a job that put food on the table and paid the bills or kept insurance in place for the kids.
It’s not unusual for believers to end up in undesirable jobs where we feel trapped working in the belly of the beast.
Several characters in the Bible were trapped, working in less than ideal situations.
- Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and taken to Egypt, where he was accused of rape and thrown into prison.
- Esther, a Jewess, was forced to marry the Persian king, Xerxes.
- Nehemiah was born in exile in Babylon and became the king’s cupbearer.
- Daniel was taken captive, removed from his homeland, and relocated to Babylon, where he became the advisor to King Nebuchadnezzar.
While each was trapped in an undesirable situation, look what God did with them:
- Joseph saved his own family from starvation by bringing them to live in Egypt, where they flourished and became the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Esther became queen of Persia and saved the entire Jewish population from genocide.
- Nehemiah left his role as the king’s cupbearer to lead the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.
- Daniel lived his entire life in exile but was the prophetic advisor to three kings of the Babylonian and Persian empires.
So, despite being trapped in terrible circumstances, God used Joseph, Esther, Nehemiah, and Daniel to impact the world! Thank goodness they were where they were and did what God called them to do!
There Are Only Two Options
A study completed in 2019 found that a whopping 60% of Americans are unhappy in their jobs, and 16% describe their jobs as “bad.” A global study conducted by Gallup was even worse, with 85% saying they were unhappy in their careers!
So, if that situation describes you, if you are in a job where you feel trapped because you’re not doing what God called you to do, you have only two options: stay or go.
Go
Paul advised the Corinthians to serve God in whatever capacity they were when they were called, but if they could improve their position by obtaining their freedom, they should (1 Corinthians 7:21). In other words, if you can improve your lot in life, then, by all means, do it, but if not, you must still serve God honorably.
Stay
Then, in his letter to the Colossians, Paul explained how we are to work when staying,
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him…Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:17, 22-24).
In this brief passage, Paul provides several vital insights for those of us who may feel trapped or unhappy in our jobs:
- Whatever your job, work in the name of the Lord and give thanks to Him.
- Out of reverence for the Lord, sincerely obey your bosses all the time, not just when they are watching!
- Whatever kind of job you have, work as though working for the Lord since, in the end, it is the Lord you are serving!
Our example in the workplace speaks volumes. If we commit ourselves and work wholeheartedly, even in jobs that we don’t like or aren’t suited for us, we are a bright light that shines before others (Matthew 5:16). That bright light of integrity and reverence for God will draw others to the Father.
The quality of our work is a testimony to our faith and trust in God. Are we working “as for the Lord” and always doing our best? If not, we’re telling everyone around us that our faith doesn’t really matter.
So, if you are part of the 60-85% of employees unhappy in your job, I’m sorry. Get a better job if you can. But if you can’t, do everything in your power to be the best employee you possibly can be! You never know, God’s greater purpose for you in that role might be to be a Joseph, an Esther, a Nehemiah, or a Daniel!
Discussion Questions
These questions can serve as a valuable framework for a thoughtful and engaging discussion about the article and how its insights and perspectives apply to our lives today.
- Have you ever been in a job that felt like being trapped in the “belly of the beast”? How did you handle it?
- What lessons can we learn from the experiences of Joseph, Esther, Nehemiah, and Daniel, who were all trapped in undesirable situations but still made a significant impact?
- What are the two options available to individuals who feel trapped in a job that doesn’t align with their spiritual gifts or purpose? How can these options be applied in different circumstances?
- How can the principles outlined by Paul in his letters to the Corinthians and Colossians guide us in finding purpose and meaning in our work, even if it’s not ideal?
- In what ways can our attitudes and work ethic in an undesirable job reflect our faith and impact those around us? How can we strive to be a positive example, regardless of our job satisfaction?
More Articles
I have written other articles on a leader’s integrity. You can find them by typing “Integrity” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are four of them.
- #400: Every Effective, Productive Christian Has These Eight Traits
- #261: Can You Separate Private Integrity from Public Actions?
- #184: How Do I Trust Thee? Let Me Count the Ways!
- #172: Situational Ethics and the Art of Dishonesty, Cheating, and Lying
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Are you in a job that you dislike? Are you going or staying? Either way, are you working as though working for the Lord?
I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because of people like you who share it with friends. Would you be kind enough to share it by pressing the share button?
Category: Personal Development | Integrity
