Missionaries in the Marketplaceنموونە

Day 2: My Career Is Not Mine, My Business Doesn't Belong to Me

In my early 20s, I wrote a career plan more than 10 pages long. It included self-assessment charts, traits of leaders I admired, and professional goals extending beyond retirement. My ultimate goal at that stage of life was to build an international career, starting with a job in the United States and moving away from my home country, Brazil.

After several years of effort, I finally got the offer to move and work in the U.S. It was what I had longed for most—but before accepting, I felt the need to pray and reflect. Despite it being a logical decision, I felt uneasy. After a long time seeking God’s direction, I understood that His purpose was for me to stay in Brazil.

I accepted another offer from the same company and moved to another state. There, I began attending a new church and met a young woman who, by chance, was my neighbor. We became best friends, started dating, and married according to the Lord’s will. Today we have a son. If I had followed my original plan, I never would’ve met the love of my life.

Jesus isn’t just a guest in our careers or businesses—He’s the owner. We say “my career” or “my business” as a matter of language, but in truth, everything belongs to God. If we invest in our careers to become better professionals and glorify God with excellence, that’s also a missionary investment!

Let’s pray together:

“Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, everything belongs to You—my life, my family, my career, and my relationships. Thank You for entrusting me with these blessings and allowing me to steward them for You. May everything I do make Your name known and exalted in my city, my country, and among the nations. May I invest my whole life in the causes of Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”