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What Should I Do With My Life?: Eight Aims for Our Career

Walk with Jesus

Desiring God Ministries--8th aim that should drive every Christian's career path.

8. Aspire to Work for What Lasts

Lastly, work for what lasts. Have in mind that this life is short, and everything not done for Christ will be in vain. Defy the deceitful notion that we have to build up and acquire here. Jesus says, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” (John 6:27). And again, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19–20).
This does not necessarily mean doing something explicitly Christian. Remember all work is God’s work and can glorify him. It does mean that things done for selfish and sinful reasons will not last. We want the investments we make with our time and money and creativity and talents to be investments that last into eternity, and theywill when they beautifully reflect the bigness and goodness of our God, whether very explicitly in ministry or more subtly in secular work.
100,000 Opportunities

If these eight aims above are your aims, there are 100,000 (and more) good ways for you to spend your 100,000 hours, and the vast majority of them will not pay you to proclaim Christ. Vocational Christian ministry is not the only option. In fact, for most of us, the ministry that will make the most of Jesus likely is not “ministry.”

Maybe your 100,000 hours will supply the needs of strategic ministries or equip you to serve the church in really unique ways (technical, communications, maintenance, and more), or surround you with not-yet-believing people with whom you can more naturally share the gospel. Be open to the specific call of God on your life to vocational ministry, but don’t think that is the only option for effective, faithful, and fruitful ministry.

Whether you’re writing sermons at a desk, selling desks, putting them together, or harvesting the lumber, God can use you uniquely and powerfully for his cause in the world.

Randy Smith