What Am I supposed To Do?

“Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” – Buddha

After my Saturday round of golf I began my usual, “what ifs”. You know the ones, “what if I would have made that putt and what if I would have not taken the chance on number nine”? I’m always curious about the “what if” I would have played golf as a kid, would I have been good enough to play on the PGA Tour?

But that thought turned into, “What the heck am I going to do now”? I’m over fifty now and have no set career path. I have been in vocational ministry now since 2002 and began the ministry journey in 1996 when I became excited about it with a bunch of high school students at a start up church that I have been a part of since that time. Of course with one three year absence from that community where I worked at another church I went back after some problems that I didn’t want to be a part of anymore.

I have been out of employment since December of 2011, when I was let go for unfamiliar reasons.  This is not the first time I have been jobless though. There have been a few other times, but this time is a lot different. I have had many different opportunities to get out of ministry. I have 25+ years of retail management and ownership experience. So I have had a few different shots at getting back in that arena but every time I go on a job interview strange things happen.

Back a few years ago when I had sold my business, I went back to school to get my seminary degree while working at my old store. It was easy for me since I already knew the business. A friend of mine came into the store to get a stereo installed and he asked if I would be interested in running the golf division of his sporting goods store. I told him that I probably wouldn’t be able to with school and working part time at my church and besides they can’t make that much money anyway? He surprised me with how much they made and I went on an interview for the job and they offered me, not just the golf division but to run a complete sporting goods store. (I’m cutting out a lot of other details so I can get to the point)

I went to the interview which was a few hours north of my home and after a few hours they offered me the job. But, I threw the man who interviewed me a curve ball. I told him that I needed to go home and pray with my wife about it. He was almost in shock. He said, “You want to what…pray…I thought you wanted this job?” I told my story on why and that I would get back to him on Monday.

Monday was here and I prayed with my wife about the position and she said to me, “Greg, I don’t think you should take this job…I just don’t feel right about it”. I mentioned to her that she wouldn’t need to work anymore, but she was sure that it wasn’t right. So I talked with the person Monday and gave them the news after I thanked him and told him why I wouldn’t be taking the position. He abruptly said, “thank you and good bye”.

I went about my day and began the “what ifs”. You know, “What if” I missed out on an opportunity and so on. About four weeks later my wife called me at work and said, “Did you read the paper this morning?” I said, “You know I don’t read the paper, what?” “The company you were going to work for is closing down, they’re going BK…you see God was protecting us.”

Every time I think I need to get out of ministry, another opportunity pops up out of no where. It’s the craziest thing, I have looked at bailing out of ministry four different times and another opportunity will pop up. Every time I have went on an interview when I think it’s time to get out of ministry, an odd situation will take place in order for me to stay focused on what God has in store for my next journey. I could tell you the other situations, but it would take to much space for a blog. So maybe you will be interested in my book, “Seeing God’s Purpose through the Camouflage of Irony”, I have written and will be available soon. It explains in more detail the ironic way God’s will works in our lives as well as the cast of characters in the bible.

I am on my fifth time of going to another vocational ministry interview this Wednesday out of me wanting to throw the towel in after my last job. This job as well as the others came out of Gods creative way of keeping me in the game.

Isn’t it crazy how life comes together sometimes? All of my experience and learning have lead up to this point of my vocational ministry career. God just keeps preparing me for the next task.

If you are like many that are not sure what or where God wants you to be in your career, just remember this, as long as you are seeking Him and serving others, you are in His will and He will reveal your next move unexpectedly. So the “What ifs” become the faith we are called to walk in!