A Prayer for Making Career Decisions -Your Daily Prayer- March 27

A Prayer for Making Career Decisions
By Chelsey DeMatteis

Bible Reading:
“And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.’” - Nehemiah 2:5 ESV

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Much of our life is shaped by these two things: fear and the opinions of others. This should come as no surprise, yet we're shaken when we realize we've been living most of our lives by these two things. God tells us in His word, many times, that we were created with purpose and placed where we are with much intention. If we believe this, it should shift how we make all our decisions. Instead of fear and opinions giving way to the "yes's and no's" we offer daily, it should be our faith. Faith is to be bold when called, faith is to be steadfast when called to stay, and faith is to stand up when an opportunity presents itself.

I recently sat across the table from a dear friend who was lamenting about their job. What caught me off guard the most was how their lament wasn't about disliking their role; their lament was about feeling as if their gifts were being squandered. They felt overlooked and set aside. This caused discouragement and discontentment to shackle the confidence Christ desired for them to walk in. We talked, we prayed, and I had to share Biblical truths to remind them to have faith.

So, I shared this story and what we see unfold for Nehemiah because of his faith...

“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, so the king asked me, 'Why is your face sad, though you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.' Then I was terrified, but I said to the king, 'May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?' The king said to me, 'What is your request?' So, I prayed to the God of heaven and answered the king, 'If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in your sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried, so that I may rebuild it.'" Nehemiah 2:1-5

You see, Nehemiah didn't let fear or the opinions of others stop him from doing what God had set in his heart. His faith propelled him to march forward with boldness and humility into the next opportunity God had for him. What you see happen next in Nehemiah's story is incredible; God gifted Nehemiah others to come alongside him to get the job done. When we are bold where God has us, it has a ripple effect that can last a lifetime, and marching forward with others for the Kingdom is a gift.

I offered my friend this same truth to live by: Instead of letting fear and the opinions of others shape their career decisions, let faith shape them instead. Be bold and humble, and tell those you work for what you'd like to do, how you'd like to grow, how you'd like to lead, and how you feel called and equipped to tackle the opportunity you're seeking. Let God open the doors and walk through them confidently in who He has called you to be.

Let's Pray: 

Father, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit that guides and leads us. As I navigate uncomfortable areas in my career, please help me boldly ask for what I can do. Please give me the humility to grow in the areas where constructive criticism is pointed out. Help me stand out as a leader seeking to make decisions with the company's best interest in mind. I pray to be of great faith no matter what my job looks like. I pray for opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Through the relationships I'm able to foster and grow in my area of work, help me be able to share Christ with those around me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Photo Credit : ©Getty Images/Delmaine Donson

Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.

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