Thereâs a difference between a job, a vocation, and a calling. While a job is just thatâa means of workâa vocation is so much more.
Whether weâre considering the move to entrepreneurship, weâre in the midst of making our God-given dreams or career a reality, or weâre serving in our current corporate workplace, God has a plan and purpose for our lives. That includes our work, too!
Vocation
Vocation is more than an occupation. What does that mean?
Vocation combines the gifts and talents Godâs given us with a divine purpose, calling, and sense of meaning. Each of us has a unique purpose in this life only we can fulfill. Vocation is just one way we live out part of the calling God has placed on our lives.
Vocation is the culmination of Godâs calling specifically in our work. While we can work simply to obtain a paycheck, God desires so much more. From the very beginning, God tasked us to be good stewards of the work Heâs given us to do.
Genesis 2:15 (NIV) states, âThe Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.â This means that work was Godâs design. Interesting, isnât it? We arenât meant to work simply to workâweâre called to take care in our work. Our work inherently has purpose and meaning.
What are vocations?
God equipped us with passions and gifts for a reason: to serve Him and His kingdom.
Rather than working aimlessly, vocation operates with the gifts weâve been given and the skill sets weâve developed. They can include everything from entrepreneurship, welding, and marketing, to homemaking, financial advising, and pet-sitting. It combines practical knowledge and training with God-given wisdom and peace.
Vocations donât need to be in a religious or church setting, although they can be. We can serve wherever we are, just as we are, with our particular skills and knowledge.
Above all, our identity must be rooted in Christ and His finished work on the cross. It is important to remember that our work cannot be where we derive our sense of ultimate meaning.
Vocation combines the gifts and talents Godâs given us with a divine purpose, calling, and sense of meaning.
Entrepreneurship: finding a job you love
So what does this look like in our lives? How do we know if weâve found the right vocation?
The first step is to ask:
How do the gifts and passions God has given me align with a particular line of work, workplace, or task?
Entrepreneurship in and of itself is a vocation. Itâs an adventureâwith purpose.
For example: Perhaps youâve always had a gift for baking. Maybe your chocolate cake has always sold first at the church bake sale, and neighbors request special cookies for their childrenâs birthday parties.
You feel a sense of fulfillment each time you bake, knowing that in some small way youâve brought joy and light into someoneâs day. In this case, your gifts (baking) combined with your passions (bringing joy) can lead to a vocation (running a bakery).
Sometimes itâs hard to recognize, and sometimes it isnât always financially possible to chase our vocation at a particular moment. However, that doesnât mean that it wonât ever be in our future. Sometimes our dreams come to fruition a bit differently than we imagined.
However, when God is in charge of our stories, we can rest knowing He has our best in mind. We can dream big and give our vocations to Him.
Create meaning
When we start to lean into our passions we often ask: âIs this even practical? Can I really find part of my meaning in my work?â
Yes and no.
Our identity is so much more than our work. Our identity comes from God alone. We can easily make work an idol just like anything else, so itâs important to be mindful of the choices we make. We should always seek guidance from God and note if our options would take us closer to Him or further from His heart.
With that in mind, God has given us desires and talents that uniquely show up in each one of our lives. We can intentionally choose to pursue more of those things that make our hearts soar. If our work is draining our souls, wearing on our family, or causing a sense of dread, that might mean itâs time for a change.
Part of the purpose God has for our lives can be fulfilled through our vocations. If weâre looking at our work simply through the eyes of a âjob,â perhaps we need either a perspective transformation or a purposeful work change.
We are called to âtake careâ in our work. If we wake up each day with drudgery beyond the normal tiredness from a task well-fulfilled, it might mean God is asking us to move to a new position, place, or role. If we sense that God is leading us in a new direction, He might be calling us to take a leap of faith. Starting a business can be a challenge, but Godâs plan isnât thwarted by our circumstances.
One personâs journey through entrepreneurship or the workforce will look different from another, even if those two individuals have the same role. Thus, itâs important to keep our eyes on Christ and run the race that He has set before us. Exploring vocations is excitingâso take on the adventure with an open heart and concentration on God.

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