The Career You Desire May be the Call
Growing up I loved everything to do with the arts. I would put on skits for my parents, direct my friends in mini plays, and use a camcorder to record the world around me. I loved the arts but I was confused how the arts and loving God could go together.
I thought to serve God and please him that he would want me to be a missionary or serve in some other form of traditional ministry. It was a subtle lie, but all the less still there.
When I went to Bible college I learned that when I’m following God I can trust the desires in my heart. It was through this realization that I understood God had given me my love for the arts.
Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (NKJV)
When we are in a relationship with God, He places His desires in our hearts. It was so freeing for me to realize that when I'm in fellowship with God I can be led by the joy I experience in doing things I'm interested in. Religion labels certain occupations as holy and others as secular, but when we are in a relationship with God all our work flows from this..
There is a word that was received by Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade for Christ) and Loren Cunningham (founder of YWAM) that there are 7 mountains in culture that Christians are called to influence to change society. They are:
Business
Government
Media
Arts & Entertainment
Education
Family
Religion
Besides the mountain of religion, many Christians have been fearful to go into these areas or even taught to avoid them. This was the case in my life. I am called to go into the Arts & Entertainment mountain but I avoided it for a long time.
I believe the enemy has done this in many other believer’s lives. He has used fear and false religion to keep us from these areas and from living our purpose. It is a tactic of the enemy to silence believers. so we have little influence and people are left in bondage.
We need Christians to go into “secular positions” and to be sought after for their knowledge and skill. In the book of 1 Kings, the Queen of Sheba went to visit King Solomon because he had built a reputation for himself and was in a position of power and influence.
Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard.” – 1 Kings 10:6-7 (NKJV)
What a shift we would see in today’s culture if Christians were in such places of prominence. If you are called into “traditional ministry” that’s awesome but if you have the urge to go after something less traditional you should. As the body of Christ, we are diverse and that’s a beautiful thing.
But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
– 1 Corinthians 12:18-19 (NKJV)
We need all the different parts of the body just like we need each unique person with their interests and talents. Operating your own business is not any less glorifying to God than being a pastor. Working in Hollywood is not less godly than being a missionary. It’s God who has given you the gifts and talents you have and He wants you to use them! So, whatever your desire is just be led by God and go for it. He’s given you a green light.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sharon Stark is the founder and creator of You Are a Creative Force, a blog empowering women to walk in their God-given identity and live out their creative dreams. She enjoys all types of creative outlets including writing, dancing, performing, and public speaking. In 2016, she became a licensed minister through Charis Bible College and currently works as a creative editor telling stories for a world-wide ministry.