Paradise lost
- At October 10, 2011
- By Nathan
- In Career Planning
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If only everything in life was easy. This longing for a less difficult life and a much improved world is wide-spread. Talk to anyone for a length of time and you will hear stories of hurt and hardship. Wealth and power does make a world of difference, but even then life is hard in one way or another – for everyone.
This world is just not the way it should be; paradise is but a memory. And as you work towards a more suitable career, it is important to keep this simple, basic reality in mind. For an unrealistically positive view of life is just as damaging as a chronically negative one. Neither will prepare you to live in the world that actually exists.
A few words of caution:
First of all, don’t expect that your life dreams and career aspiration will necessarily just fall into place. It is much better to anticipate struggles, difficulties, setbacks, conflict, and hard work than to expect an easy road. Sure, take one day at a time; but also be prepared for what you may have to face each day.
Second, don’t expect God to always directly intervene in this broken world to make your life easier. It is a sensitive thing to even mention, but asking God not to let any of your loved ones ever die is a waste of time. They will and so will you. That is life. God may on occasion choose to answer our large requests…but He doesn’t have to. You could be unfairly fired and find yourself without a job for a long period of time. Don’t blame God. That’s life.
Third, try to respect God’s sovereignty and your own. Make a point of trying to manage your life under God. This is a phrase I have used before in order communicate the importance of taking appropriate responsibility for our own lives. We want to have it both ways sometimes. We want to have the freedom and power to do whatever we want and, at the same time, to be protected from the consequences of our poor decisions.
Being satisfied with this world as it is would be a mistake. And yet, sooner or later we all have to learn how to live in it.
© Career & Life Direction 2011. All rights reserved.
