Rest and Reset: A 30-Day Devotional to Revive JoySample

Teach me your ways.

Education isn’t a means to an end, but it can be the vehicle God uses to fulfill his purposes. As believers, we began the journey of seeking the Lord’s purpose for our lives. Most often, we lean into full-time ministry, believing that this is the most effective way to serve the Lord. However, the reality is that God wants to use us in all spheres of this world. God cares about our knowledge of Him, but He is also involved in education for those who choose to pursue a trade or profession.

Whatever career path you choose, God can use you to be a light in a dark place. For some, the Lord may ask you to drop everything and follow him, just as Jesus asked his disciples. But for others, he may place the desire to return to school so that you may gain knowledge in respective fields, not only to labor to put food on your table but also to labor for the Lord. Because God is involved in the details, He will strategically place people within schools, organizations, internships, and jobs so that you may encounter and impact their lives for the kingdom.

Our vocation in ministry and career can differ, but God will use both for His glory. In 2013, I strongly felt that I should return to school to learn inpatient coding. This would require a two-year commitment to earn a degree and prepare for the RHIT exam. There were obstacles at first, but I was convinced that this was God’s direction. This career would enable me to work remotely. While remote work is more common now, in 2013, it was just a distant dream. One month after graduation, Bailey passed away, and I was thrown into grief. The unrelenting sorrow from her passing and the struggles in my marriage left me a shell of a woman. Yet, I still had to work. Soon after, I was hired at a large hospital that would only require me to work on-site for three months before I could return home to work remotely full-time. Looking back, I believe God was guiding my future—through a career change—to give me space to grieve life and loss. Inevitably, he used that season to work through my pain, and ministry was born from it all.

Daniel, a well-educated teenager, was thrust into the King’s palace. Saul was knowledgeable in his religion before God opened his eyes on the road to Damascus, changed his name, and used his zeal and education for his purpose. Paul was involved in ministry, but he also worked as a tent maker. Luke was a physician who required specialized training. Jesus spent years of his life hidden, working as a carpenter before God sent Him to heal the sick, bind the brokenhearted, and ultimately die for our sins.

We are to labor for the Lord and in the Lord. If you have felt the nudge to return to school or transition into a different sector of work, trust the leading of God’s hand. The Lord knows what the future has in store for you, and who knows, He may want to train you in an area so that the skills may cross over into ministry. The Bible teaches “'For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. '2 Thessalonians 3:10 KJV

We must work, but more than that, it is crucial to fulfill God's purposes for our lives. Jesus prayed in John 17, verse 4, “'I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.' Your duty to God is to ensure that you finish strong. God will teach you His ways. However, he may use education to provide specialized training, enabling you to apply those methods to the souls who need Jesus Christ the most. May the Lord’s joy flow over into your vocation.

Be Encouraged.