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Are you struggling to navigate your career path while staying true to your faith? Are you torn between pursuing professional success and honoring God's will for your life? Many Christians grapple with these questions, trying to figure out how to balance their ambitions with their spiritual convictions. This episode of the Ask Ralph Podcast with Ralph Estep Jr. tackles the challenge of making work and career decisions from a Christian perspective. How Can You Navigate Career Decisions as a Christian and according to Gods will? With Ralph Estep, Jr.
In Episode 189 of the Ask Ralph Podcast, host Ralph Estep Jr. shares his personal experience of facing a career crossroads, weighing a high-paying accounting job against a position at a local credit union. Through this anecdote and biblical wisdom, he offers practical guidance on discerning God's will for your professional life. Tune in to discover how to excel in your work while staying rooted in your Christian values.
00:00 Episode Overview
02:09 Bible Verse
02:33 Evaluating Job Opportunities
03:11 Reflecting on Motivations
03:27 Seeking Wise Counsel
03:53 Staying Spiritually Grounded
05:02 Final Thoughts and Prayer
06:20 Outro
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Ralph Estep Jr.:
Have you ever struggled to know what career path or job opportunity you should pursue? How do you balance excelling in your career while staying grounded in your faith? This is a question I've struggled with as well. Today, I'm going to help you navigate that from a place of faith. So join me on this mission today.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Welcome faithful listeners. This is Ralph, and you're listening to the Ask Ralph Show, mastering your finances from a Christian perspective. Thank you so much for tuning in today. I'm so glad you could join me for the spiritual Sunday episode where we're diving into the question of how to make work and career decisions according to God's will. It's not always easy. But before we get into today's topic, let's do a quick recap of yesterday's episode.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Yesterday, we talked about strategies for paying off debts that are already in collections. I walked through the pros, and I walked through the cons of trying to negotiate directly with creditors versus working with a credit counseling agency. The key is not ignoring those debts. Be proactive and take control of the situation.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
If you missed that episode, be sure to check it out in our podcast feed. You’ll find that at askralphpodcast.com and get excited for tomorrow's episode where we’ll be discussing 10 money habits that are hurting your relationships. That's when you don't want to miss it. You might want to share it with your significant others. All right. Well, let's dig into today's topic.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
I know many Christians struggle with how to make major life and career decisions according to God's will. It's so important yet can be so confusing to know which opportunities to pursue and which ones to pass up. I faced this myself early on in my career when I had two different job offers on the table. One was a mid-size accounting firm with a big salary and a chance for quick advancement. The other was a local credit union.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
I didn't know anything about credit unions. But I knew I'd be helping people learn basic money management skills. I wasn't sure which path God wanted me to take. So I want to share with you some practical guidance on discerning God's will for your work and more importantly, for your career. Along with some action steps you can implement to keep yourself spiritually grounded, no matter where you end up.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Well, let's start with our relevant Bible verse. In the book of Colossians 3:23, it says, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." This verse reminds us that ultimately, God cares more about the motivations of our heart than the exact job we have. He wants just to work with passion and integrity, no matter what our role is.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Okay Ralph, so when considering a new job or promotion, how can I evaluate if it aligns with God's will for my life? So here's three things to prayerfully examine. First, look at the job description and requirements. Do you have the competencies and the experience needed to thrive in this role?
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Don't fall into the trap of presuming positions you're not actually qualified for. Be realistic about your skills and your education level. God will open up the right doors at the right time. I've seen too many people take on a job they simply weren't qualified for. And it made their life a mess and led to a huge failure. Don't make that mistake.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Next, reflect on your motivations. Is this opportunity driven by selfish ambition and status or a genuine desire to serve and add value through your work? What we do is secondary to why we do it. So you've got to keep those motivations in check.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
And lastly, seek wise counsel. Talk it through a mature Christian friends and mentors who know you well. Get their perspective on how this role may help or hinder your spiritual growth and that calling you have. You got to value that input from those farther along in their faith journey. And if after prayerful consideration that job still seems like a good fit, then move forward boldly. Trust God will guide your steps once you take that first one in faith.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Now let's discuss how to stay spiritually grounded once you've established yourself in a career. First, and this one is vital. Be part of a Bible believing church community. This gives you a vital support system and reminds you that the identity is found in Christ, not in career advancements.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Read the Bible and pray regularly for wisdom and how to integrate your faith in your work. Ask God to shape your character more than your career. It's important that you set boundaries on your time and focus outside of work. Be vigilant about not making your job an idol. Nurture your family relationships and Sabbath rest on top of priorities.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
It's also important that you look for opportunities to live out your faith at work through ethics, service, and compassion. But avoid the temptation to compromise your belief simply to get ahead, and that's a tough one.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
And finally, this one is hugely important. Give back to God's kingdom from the financial blessings of your career. Seeing work as a way to fund a ministry and help others keep your priorities straight. Following this type of balanced, prayerful approach will help you make career decisions in line with God's will and protect your soul in the process.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
And this is a brief one today. So in closing, I want to recap some key points with you. Number one, evaluate your job opportunities based on your competencies, your motivations and wise counsel. Move forward in faith when it's a good fit, but you got to stay grounded by being part of a church, reading the Bible, protecting family time and giving back and ultimately, do your work as unto the Lord with passion and integrity. He cares more about your heart’s motivations than your prestige. That's just the truth.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Well, thank you for joining me today and engaging with this important topic. Please visit askralphpodcast.com and join our email list and get my free copy of my book on Mastering Your Finances. This will save you 15 bucks over Amazon price. I also ask that you share this episode if you found it valuable and keep sending your questions. I love hearing from you, and I love answering those questions.
Ralph Estep Jr.:
Well now, allow me to close in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of work and the opportunities you placed before us. Help me to discern your will for my career path. Instill in me the motivation to work with passion and bring you glory, no matter what job you call me to do. Give me wisdom to make decisions that honor you. Remind me that my identity and purpose is found in you alone. Pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. And as I always say friends, stay financially savvy, God bless and truly enjoy your Sunday.
