A Job I Didn’t Plan, A Purpose I Didn’t Expect
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’”
— James 4:13–15
Three years ago today, I stepped into a full-time marketing role at a furniture manufacturing company, walking away from what many would have considered a dream: running my own media production business, calling the shots, owning my time, being my own boss. Before I made that decision, I thought I’d never go back to a traditional job. I had plans. I had freedom. I had a vision and seemingly full control of where my career would go.
But James reminds us that we don’t know what tomorrow holds. I don’t believe that it’s meant to scare us, I believe it’s meant to humble us. It’s a reminder that while our lives and careers are indeed our own to steward, they’re far more meaningful when we invite God into the process—when we trust His wisdom more than our own ambition.
My Unexpected Assignment
I didn’t plan this job. To be completely transparent, at the time, it felt like a temporary concession—something I needed to do for the good of my family. While I’ve come to enjoy most of my work, this need to provide for my family is not what has made this job meaningful. What has made this season deeply significant is the way God has used it. Not in the pay or the benefits, not in the accolades—but in the quiet conversations, the day-to-day relationships, and the unexpected moments of ministry that happen between editing videos and sitting in meetings. When you walk with Jesus, no role is ever just a job. Every setting becomes a mission field.
A Shift in Perspective
There are many days I don’t love the tasks of a corporate job. There are days I wish I had more time, more control, and more “creative freedom.” But Scripture doesn’t tell us to love every moment—it tells us to walk through them faithfully. The instructions from Paul in Philippians 2:14-15 can be incredibly difficult—believe me, because I’m no where near perfect at taking these instructions to heart.
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God…”
— Philippians 2:14–15
God’s will for our lives won’t always be loud or flashy. Sometimes, it simply looks like quiet consistency. Sometimes it looks like showing up to the same desk each day and choosing to honor God in how you work, speak, and serve the people around you. And honestly? That’s the kind of obedience that produces fruit. That’s the kind of faith that often goes unnoticed by the world but is seen by God. Like I said—this has not always been easy. But I always find myself much happier when I adopt this approach.
If the Lord Wills
James ends chapter 4 with a convicting truth:
“Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” —James 4:17
This isn’t just about morality—it’s about calling. If God has placed me here, for now, then the right thing to do is to embrace it fully. Not with passivity, but with purpose.
So that’s what I’ve been trying to do these past three years—not perfectly, but intentionally. And God has honored that. I don't know what the next three years holds, but I must remain faithful regardless. God has done great things in this season. He’s opened doors for heart-level conversations. He’s used my workplace to shape my character. He’s shown me that calling isn’t always about what we do, but who we’re becoming and who we’re loving along the way.
If you’re in a place you didn’t plan—vocationally, relationally, geographically—don’t despise it. God may be doing His deepest work in your life on the detours. It’s not easy, but—please—make room for His will. Open your hands. Open your eyes. Know and understand this: there is no such thing as a wasted season when it is surrendered to Him.
So if the Lord wills, I’ll keep showing up. Keep working hard. Keep loving well. And keep trusting that wherever He has me, it’s on purpose.