"The thing you should want most is God's Kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you". Mathew 6:33
Making a career decision is no easy task, especially as a Headteacher at a Church School. As Christians, we can often feel that our faith, far from clarifying matters, muddies the waters further still. Unsure of whether the process should be approached systematically or spiritually, we can often allow the fear of getting it wrong to stop us from stepping out at all.
Instead, we can become passive; allowing our indecision to make a decision for us. Job opportunities come and go and we remain in the same post, with similar responsibilities, often in the same school.
Comfortable, but not challenged. Safe, but not satisfied.
So how can this be avoided? How can we learn to make confident, God-centred career decisions?
First and foremost, we need to take an honest and frank look at ourselves, our career and our relationship with God. Does our current position enable us to use our God-given gifts to serve Him to the best of our ability, or would we be a more effective witness elsewhere? What is our reasoning for staying where we are? What would be our motives for moving? Are they God considered?
The key is to be intentional and proactive; prayerfully considering career opportunities rather than shying away from them or outright ignoring them.
For the truth is we are called to partner with God on this journey. He will do his part, but He expects us to do ours too! God promises to guide our steps, not dictate them. Sometimes He does choose to supernaturally reveal His "calling" on a person's life. More often however, our "calling" is to prayerfully engage with the scriptures He had written for us, to seek the wise counsel of those He has placed around us and to use the brain He has given us to reach our own decision.
When we intentionally and proactively seek God's will for our lives, approaching career decisions both spiritually and systematically, we become people who can be guided and used to build His Kingdom on earth. And that’s certainly not an opportunity to be missed!