God leads all of his children in special ways throughout their lives to fully prepare them for their particular place in heaven. Each way he leads is different and unique. For some, college awaits them, for others, full time jobs. The problem we so often have is in discerning that special way God is pleased to lead us in our lives here below. We must remember first and foremost that we are set here below to serve our king in heaven. Each of us is called personally in 1 Thessalonians 2:12 to “walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory”. We must therefore choose vocations that are in accordance to God’s word. God doesn’t ever specifically call us to a certain vocation in Scripture, but he does give us guidelines, and those we must seek and follow in the choosing of a vocation here below.
For many young people, college is the way that they are led, but that isn’t the way God leads every one of us. Yes, we should all consider the possibility of furthering our education, and prayerfully consider it, but for some of us, that isn’t God’s way of leading. For me, I had no desire to attend college, and had no idea what course of study I would pursue if I went college. I spent my first two years out of high school working two part-time jobs. After awhile, I seriously considered going to college because I didn’t want part time jobs for the rest of my life. I even signed up for general classes and went to orientation, but that was not the way God chose to lead me. Right after I had signed up for classes I was informed of a secretary job that would be opening soon. I would start training almost right away and then after a few months would take over full time.
At this point in my life I was confused, because I had never really wanted to be a secretary, but I also didn’t really want to go to college either. The only thing I knew for certain was that I didn’t want to work two part-time jobs any longer. So, with much prayer I decided to start to training for the secretary job, although I didn’t totally throw out going to college. I stayed signed up for college as I also started to learn what was involved in becoming a secretary. Notice, young people, God doesn’t always give answers right away, as we so often expect. Notice another thing too: we must pray! Prayer is an essential part of our lives, and in choosing a vocation we must prayerfully consider God’s will for our lives. This was not an easy decision for me, and for awhile I went back and forth between the two, knowing that the two pathways were totally different. It wasn’t until after a month as a part time secretary that I started to become more and more convinced that I should take the secretary job. It wasn’t through any major thing that happened, but through prayer and God’s guidance that I became a secretary.
Let me give you a few facts concerning what is involved in a secretary job. For those of you who love math, my job would be prime. Much of my job consists of numbers in amounts of money. On a day to day basis I receive, enter, pay, and send out bills. I figure out bank statements for the company, take care of paying our employees, do taxes for the company, and the list goes on. I have always enjoyed math, and so I immensely enjoy working with numbers every day.
There is much more involved in being a secretary than just math. Each day I answer, direct, and make phone calls. There is mail to go through every day, and on Fridays I have a stack of paperwork to file for the week. Besides this, I often have plans to print for different jobs we are doing, and sometimes also have to run little errands for these jobs. Each company runs a little bit differently, and so each secretary job will vary, depending on what kind of company you work for, how big the company is, how many other secretaries are in one company, etc. For me, I am an only secretary at my office, and so although I have routine jobs to do, each day is quite a bit different too. I love that each day is a little bit diverse from the others, but yet also has consistence. It keeps things interesting while not making you feel overwhelmed by a completely different schedule from one day to the next.
My job as a secretary has been wonderful for me. A college education isn’t needed, it provides me with full time work, and I love the work that I do. I never thought I would love being a secretary, because I always pictured secretary jobs as stuffy jobs, always stuck in an office, and rarely ever seeing sunlight. I was very wrong, though. For me, each day I get to admire God’s handiwork through my office window. When it is springtime, often the door to my office is propped open and I enjoy the birds chirping and the beautiful breeze as it blows through. Also, since my job, like most secretary jobs, has good business hours generally ranging between 8am to 5pm, there is still much time after that to enjoy God’s beautiful creation. More than that, God has blessed me with an atmosphere where I get to work with those of like faith. It is a rare and beautiful thing, working with those to whom you relate both in the work area and in your spiritual walk here below. There is a shared bond of unity even while at work, knowing that you all strive for that same goal, to serve your king in heaven.
Focusing specifically now on young women, many will tell you that you need to go to college. Yes, I agree that college is very good and educates you further, but if you have prayerfully considered it, and still have no desire to go to college, this is a good job for you to seek. It may pay a little bit less than a job attained through a college education, but it does not require more years of schooling and money to obtain it. A secretary job has reasonable hours and is also a vocation that is easily given up when God does provide you with a new vocation of caring for a husband and children. Do not be ashamed of wanting a husband and children. This is God’s will for most women. God through Timothy says “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Tim 5:14). A secretary job is a very nice job to have for those of you who are viewing marriage soon after high school and want to start saving up money right away.
For those of you interested in a secretary position, often this occupation is obtained through contacts you know. Many businesses want to hire people they can trust, and who is better to choose than people that they directly know, or those who are referred to them by a friend as being hard workers? So, keep an ear attentive and an eye open, and I’d suggest first looking for opportunities within your own circle of acquaintances. You will find that God provides in his own timing, so don’t become impatient either when something isn’t provided right away.
Let me now tell you a few things God has brought to my attention through my job as a secretary. First and foremost, God has taught me that contentment is key, no matter the vocation to which God calls you. Often we expect this perfect job to fall into our laps, and that the riding will be smooth. No, there are ups and downs to every job, but contentment in the calling God has given you leads to great joy in even the simplest, most mundane tasks of the day. View your work with the attitude that God has provided labor for my hands and food for my body, and in this I am greatly blessed. For this I praise the Lord.
Through my job as a secretary, my perspective of money has changed greatly. I became more aware of how much I had put my trust in something that perishes. Up until this job, I thought I had done a pretty good job of keeping things in perspective, but I see now how often I forget that all that we have (including money) is given us by God and is to be used in his service. I see more fully that money is not to be trusted. It is not something that you can keep forever, nor rely on to keep you safe. I see money come and go every day. It is gained, only to be lost again by paying the bills that are owed to others. I have come more clearly to understand Hebrews 13:8, comprehending more fully the truth that only our Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He alone is unchangeable, and remains the same. He alone is to be trusted.
In conclusion, God gives his children unique paths to follow, with many different vocations here below. The most important thing we all must remember is that we are to use whatever vocation God leads us in, to serve him and his kingdom. We must also learn contentment with the vocation God gives us, whether it is as a college student for a number of years, as a full time worker, or as a mother in the home. God has placed us here below, and he will most definitely guide us in the way he has prepared. Remember the words of 1 Timothy 6:6–8 “ But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content”. Depend on God, praying for his guidance in the vocation he has set before us. Be content with the position he has given each one of us, and, young people, trust! Trust that he who has ordained all things from the beginning of time will lead us in the right path and provide for us. God will guide each one of us in the vocation he has chosen for us here below, until we are prepared for our eternal vocation in heaven, where all God’s saints shall gather one day to serve him eternally.