You Can Lose Your Dream and Lose Your Job. But You Can Never Lose Your Purpose.

Full disclosure: I am a pastor. I get paid to do it. And I love my job. But I don’t need my job. When people say they’re “called to be a pastor,” they’re often referring to the profession of leading a church in a 21st century, Western Civilization context. In light of world history, there’s a very small window of time where it’s even possible for a person to make a livable income centered around leading people spiritually.

There have been 3 questions I have had to ask myself when it came to my purpose, my calling and my job. Maybe by asking yourselves these same questions, you can find encouragement.

What is my purpose? I wasn’t called by God to be a pastor. I was called by God to be a voice of encouragement. My current profession doesn’t validate my life’s purpose. My life’s purpose is what validates my current profession. I love to be a pastor. But I live to be a Christ follower. I’ve learned how these two statements aren’t co-dependent. My calling is “who God is asking me to be.” My career is “what I decide to do in order to live out my calling.”

Is God in the center of my dream? Focusing on our career dream is a great way to miss out on God’s dream. It’s embarrassing how many personal pronouns I’ve written in my journal. Somewhere along the way, my dream of being a pastor became bigger than God’s dream of me being a voice of encouragement. God has worked hard to get me out of the picture. Our tendency is to be in the center of our dreams. The dream God gave you is not for people to think that you’re awesome, but to know that He is. What does God have to do to move you out of the center of your dream? The further I got out of the center of my dream, the more I could help others. God’s dream is not about our careers. It’s not about our anything. It’s about His purpose, His kingdom, His glory, and His plan. And then about how our lives and our careers fit into it.

Can I accomplish my purpose outside of my job? Does he have to remove your profession to remind you of your purpose? You can lose your profession but hold onto your purpose. Or you can white knuckle the idol of your profession and watch your purpose slip away. If you’re a pastor, let your job showcase your purpose. But if you’re not a pastor, be encouraged that you haven’t lost an ounce of purpose. Your career is not your calling, but a canvas upon which you express your calling. Your career is what you do for money. Your calling is what you do for God.

You can lose your dream. You can lose your job. But you can never lose your purpose. Make the decision to live out your purpose today, no matter which business or church name is printed on the upper left hand corner of your paycheck.

Jeremy Johnson is the lead pastor of North Point Church in Springfield, Missouri.