What to Do Next: Biblical Wisdom for Your CareerSample

I want to give you one last filter to think through as you finish this reading plan and press on in your journey of figuring out what to do next.

Don’t build a life you won’t enjoy.

To illustrate this point, today’s Scripture passages drop you into the middle of two Old Testament stories that each feature incredibly powerful questions—questions that can protect you from inadvertently building a career and a life you never wanted.

The first story is about Esther, who found herself in an unlikely position at an unusual time. After the King of Persia banished his wife, Esther becomes the new queen and that gives her the unique opportunity to “approach the king in the inner court” with a request—in this case, to spare the Jewish people from death. As she debates whether to ask the king to save her people, her cousin offers the incisive question, Who knows if you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? In other words, What if God has given you this unique role for a reason?

The second story features Nehemiah, who similarly finds himself in a role he never imagined. When we pick up his story, Nehemiah has returned to Jerusalem to help the Jewish people rebuild the walls of the city—a task that’s critical for their safety. Neighboring tribes would rather Jerusalem remain defenseless, so they send messengers to distract Nehemiah. In his response, we find the clarifying question, Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?

These questions are different but their point is the same. Over the course of our lives, we all have both replaceable and unique roles. Replaceable roles are positions like employee, manager, or volunteer. If you leave those roles, they can be filled by someone else. Unique roles are positions like husband, mom, sibling, or friend. Those roles cannot be filled by anyone else; they are yours alone.

When deciding what to do next, prioritize and protect your unique roles.

Sometimes this means saying no to good opportunities. That’s my family’s story. I was offered my dream job during a season of life when saying yes would have come at too high a cost. I couldn’t afford time away from my kids because time was rapidly taking them away from me.

When we face decisions like these, we’re often tricked into buying a lie. There’s a voice that whispers, What if an opportunity like this never comes back around? That question is a trap that can lead you to a life you don’t enjoy.

In Esther and Nehemiah’s stories, you’ll find better questions to ask. What unique roles has God given you? And, What could possibly be worth sacrificing your commitment to those roles?

My friend Daniel Harkavy advises, “Give your best to your best.” When you do that, you’ll enjoy the life you build and you’ll know exactly what to do next.

If you enjoyed this plan, you can find more from Jeff Henderson by clicking here.