by Evan Mehlenbacher
It’s a question many high school and college graduates are asking right now: what do I do with the rest of my life?”
Dan Amos, CEO of Aflac, a large insurance company, was quoted in USA Today as recommending to graduates looking for a career, “I tell graduates to find their treasure. By treasure, I’m not talking about money or material possessions. I’m talking about something in life that they’re passionate about and pursue it. That’s the key to true happiness” (5/21/07).
I can relate to the spirit of Amos’ comment because I took a job after graduating from college that I didn’t love. It paid the bills, and I figured that was enough. But my compromise was a mistake that I had to correct later.
As I learned from experience, there are jobs that keep us occupied and pay the bills, but can lead to great boredom and lack of fulfillment. Then there are jobs that not only keep us occupied and pay the bills, but they also have genuine meaning and purpose for us. In them, we love what we do! And these are the best jobs to have.
For five years after my college graduation, I farmed with my dad. We got along fine, but my heart was not into agriculture. There were happy times, to be sure, but for the most part, days for me were long and mundane. I finally admitted that I was staying in the family business for the money, and it was not making me happy. I needed a spiritual reason to get up each day.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “Mortals suppose that they can live without goodness, when God is good and the only real Life.” As I gradually figured out, the goodness of God is the love of God felt and lived. To stay in a career for the money was leaving my spiritual cravings for love-inspired work unfed. I needed to feel more love everyday in the workplace. I was sacrificing my spiritual needs for financial gain, and the effect left me feeling spiritually starved.
Finally, in the spirit of “…God is good and the only real Life,” I realized that anything truly good in my life was not going to come from a paycheck, but from living true to God, to my real Life. This meant I needed to be honest with myself about what work had genuine meaning and purpose for me, and not deceive myself into believing that earning a wage was enough.
My “treasure” was not money, but in helping and healing others spiritually. And in my case, to do that, I needed to leave the family operation. I needed to give myself the time and space to pursue work that inspired true love in my heart.
Knowing that God would prosper a right idea, I acted on this inspiration. I quit the farm and committed myself to the full-time practice of Christian Science. It was one of the wisest decisions I’ve ever made in my life. I have been one very happy worker ever since. I had finally found enough courage to follow the wise maxim, “Do what you love,” and trust God to be there to support me. And God always has been there for me without fail.
Yes, there were times when the bank account got pretty low, but I’ve always had enough. And over time, I prospered in my work, until earning an adequate income was no longer a concern.
“Do what you love,” is not a blind wistful statement made by older people. It’s born out of the wisdom of experience by countless workers who have learned the hard way, that life without love is a life without meaning.
None of us should have to accept a job of drudgery and boredom as inevitable or unavoidable. We may take a less than ideal job in the short term while we listen to divine Mind for the long term plan, but it’s helpful to remember that God has given each of us a happy, productive, love-filled life to live, and we can live it.
Life is good. Life is God, and Life is Love. Life, Love, and God, all work together in one seamless whole.
Each of us can be assured that we have a deeply significant and spiritually satisfying life to live, direct from God that is ours to claim. I’m writing this blog from experience. Don’t settle for anything less, at least for the long run anyway!
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Evan, this is going to be sent to my grandson, who has just finished four years and graduated from college — it’s the best graduation gift he could ever receive — sure hope he shares my opinion — if he doesn’t, I’ll still love him with all my heart, and continue to pray for his happiness and prosperity. Faithfully, Dan
I find this, “Finding work you love” most helpful in being a member of the metaphysical team and other duties in our daily appliciations at church.
Ok, cool. I get this, but this is a topic close to my heart, so I have some questions:
I’m working in a job at the moment which is ok, and when I ask God, He highlights all sorts of good things happening at the workplace and in my experience, but it’s not what I want to do long-term.
So:
How do you know what you want to do is God’s plan?
Shouldn’t we just improve where we are, rather than move to find fulfillment (I’m thinking ‘no’, as where we are is Spirit, not matter, but I’d like your thoughts)?
What if what you want to do doesn’t look like it will pay the bills (no - I’m not looking for just lazing around :)!)?
Thanks!
To Ben,
Hey, some good questions. How do we know if it’s God’s plan or our plan?…
God’s plan for you is not so much a specific material job, like enter computer data, or organize events, etc., so much as a plan of spiritual growth and progress. God’s job for you is reflecting divine intelligence, wisdom, and love. How you are led to manifest this divine calling is going to be up to your highest sense of what it means to reflect these qualities right now.
When I first worked on the family farm, that was my highest sense of living out God’s plan for me at the time. But as I grew spiritually, and understood better my role as God’s worker in action, the outward human form changed. There are other people who love to farm, and find their divine calling in that work. We are all individual, and need to listen and follow where the divine voice is leading us.
For you, listen conscientiously to the divine voice within that is leading you down a spiritually progressive path.
What will be a spiritually progressive step for you? Perhaps it is to stay where you are and do better. Perhaps it is to do better where you are, and see if that leads you to another place where you can excel even more with the individual talents you’ve been given. You have to figure that out with God, and will. But don’t get locked into thinking you are your job–as in human job. You’re not. You’re an individual expression of infinite intelligence, wisdom and ability. Identify with the spiritual truth about yourself, and let your growing understanding of that truth lead you forward. It may take you into unexpected, and glorious places you haven’t even dreamed about yet.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for your response Evan, this is great.
b
Yes Evan C.S.B.
As I get myself grounded and rooted spiritually
in my right place, emotionally, and physically, around
the corner I’m asking myself what is my “right work”
that I love that is fulfilling and economically
sustaining. When I’m ready, I’m sure I’ll demonstrate this.
My most important discovery “to date” is that God is Infinite, All-Power, Love, Truth, Goodness. Just knowing
that, boggles my brain. “Mary Baker Eddy” says
figuring out God takes an eternity. I’ve discovered that’s
true. Humanly outlining my life up to this point has
been an absolute nightmare! I surrender!
Evan,
that is exaclty what I needed right now. I do have a good work, not boring at all with a good income, but actually I would like to enter the full CS pratice. I am just concerned as I am the only one earning money at home and we have 3 children, rent etc. I am not sure what to do either build a good passive income and then go into pratice or just go into pratice and live what Jesus said as he told us not to worry about our needs but to search first the kingdom of heaven.
Thanks
To Benoit,
Wow! I can really relate to where you’re coming from and the crossroads you feel you are facing. But there is an answer to your question.
The fact that you are still asking the question and wondering is a sign that you need to keep praying about this issue of supply and where it comes from.
When I left my job for the full-time Christian Science practice, there was no doubt in my mind that all my family’s practical needs would be met. I wasn’t sure exactly how, but I had no doubt they would be met.
Later, I doubted briefly when making a very limited income. But I overcame that doubt quickly as I realized there was no turning back for me. I knew my All-in-all to be in God, and God would back me up no matter what. That has proven to be the case.
My point is, you’re ready to make the transition and have good results when you KNOW you’re ready to make the change. Leaps of blind faith are frequently stunted for lack of understanding to keep the momentum going. Christian Science is acting out of wisdom and understanding–knowledge of why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Having said that, there is no better time than right now to be in the CS practice! Don’t limit your practice in any way. The practice is about living Truth and Love, and you can do that now. Mentally tell the world you’re ready to accept patients. Be ready for patients to ask you for spiritual help. Start building your practice now. As you grow with the practice and appreciate what it really is, the practice will compel you to take human steps forward that allow you to devote more and more time to it, and have all the human needs met along the way. This progression can happen very rapidly. Not over years, but months, even weeks. It’s really a matter of how fast you accept the possibility and embrace living it out.
When you act on a right idea, God will bless that idea with all the ways and means it needs to flourish and prosper.
I look forward to hearing how your practice is coming along!
Evan,
I started in a career that wasn’t my first choice, but was okay and certainly used skills that were very strong in me even though I hadn’t desired or chosen them. At first it was like opening a bottle of soda — rather fizzy and exciting and fun. However, as time went on, it went flat like the soda does and became a chore I resented and I found frustration and boredom. When I finally committed myself to real spiritual growth a few months ago, the first thing that popped up to be healed in my thought was how I felt about my job and I began to look for ways to appreciate it more and do it better.
I noticed a spiritual purpose to it I had previously overlooked. I began to see it less in terms of the mechanics of what I did and more as the qualities I both expressed to others and experienced from them. I especially remember realizing one day that I had always thought of love as something in me that fluctuated to a greater/lesser degree and I could give or with hold as I liked. I suddenly understood that love wasn’t in me — I was IN IT –surrounded by it, immersed in it, animated by it, and absolutely under the constant demand to manifest my inseparability from it. As I began to look at everything and everyone at work through the eyes of Love instead of the eyes human expectation, many amazing things have happened.
In humility I finally understood that those skills I manifested — but had not chosen were the evidence of God operating as my life. For the first time I could show real heartfelt gratitude for the “gifts” I had always viewed as a curse and recognized I had not put these skills there by education or other means — they were simply there — shining forth as me and my life and that was where contentment and satisfaction was.
The result? Far more joy about my days, actual appreciation of my work by superiors, a sense of purpose, more financial stability, and new budding opportunities to move towards a line of work that I’ve always thought I wanted. I’ve considered this as somewhat like the parable of the talents. It seems I had to quit hiding mine in the ground of “that’s not what I want to do” and use them as stepping stones of spiritual progress to begin to reap their benefits.
Thanks for sharing these ideas…..
To anon above,
Terrific story…thanks for sharing!
Your example illustrates so clearly that we are never hostage to our job. If hostage to anything, it’s to a false belief about our job.
Our real job is to reflect God, to manifest love, joy, gratitude, wisdom, helpfulness and more. As we faithfully do “our job” as an employee of God, the spiritual mindedness we cultivate and gain lifts our perspective. And one of two things happen–we either get a whole new inspired view of the opportunities already before us in our present job, or perhaps, we are led to another human job that expresses the qualities we’re feeling inside more fully. Either way, healing happens. We should not materially outline ahead of time what we think the outcome should be. God knows better than we do. But we can trust, that as our thinking goes higher, our experience goes higher.
In your case, you proved that it was not your job holding you back, but a limited view of yourself and your talents. As you shucked off the shackle of that limited view of self you felt freer, and rightfully so!
Good work!
This last comment by anonymous reminds me of an article I read years ago by Mark Swinney. He wrote about a time when he was a dishwasher in a restaurant. The job was a bore and there was no satisfaction because he’d never finish — there were always more dishes to wash! But then he decided to make sure that everything he was doing was done with love. As I remember, he was very deliberate about it — if he realized that he’d washed a glass without thinking or feeling that love, he’d rewash it. Soon he was doing a much better job than before, it was noticed, and he was promoted.
To Evan,
a big thank you for your thought, and yes I guess I need to let the “patience to perfectly accomplish its work” and trust God that He will lead me on the proper time. I just need to pray and practice and then the supply will be a manifestation of this undertanding.
Evan,
Thanks for sharing these ideas, I was reading through this and was compelled to share my experience that you were talking about in your response to Benoit.
I was raised in Christian Science and have relied on Christian Science Treatment my whole life however, it wasn’t until just a few months ago I started to recognize what Christian Science really was and what Mrs. Eddy’s revelation was. I felt like I was as Paul says in Ephesians, putting off the old man and putting on the new man. As I started to study more intently the Bible lesson, Science and Health and some of Mrs. Eddy’s biographies my appetite to be a better Christian healer was growing. Very soon a Christian Science Teacher in my town, completely out of the blue, offered to share her office with me. I didn’t know at the time what a blessing this was, in fact it seemed a little bit like a burden at first with my busy schedule. Very soon my schedule became centered around my time to pray and be close to God as I realized what a joy it was.
I had never thought about going into the practice until a few months ago and what I started to realize was that I was, as each of us are, ready to do God’s work right now right here. I didn’t have to quit my job today and advertise as a practitioner tomorrow, I could do the work right now. I, as you put it, “mentally told the world I was ready to accept patients”. Very shortly after that a co-worker that had earlier learned I was a Christian Scientist asked me to work with him on a particular issue which I did. He had a beautiful quick healing and shared with me that I had made a believer out of his Grandma and wife.
I learned and grew so much from that experience and it was another beautiful demonstration of the Allness of God and the speed at which your practice can take off when it is based on living Truth and Love.
Expect the best, most fulfilling existence possible.
“God saw everything He made” and it was Good!
Have some fun everyone!
To Josh,
Fabulous! What a terrific story and example of how the grace of God can work through one’s experience to build a CS practice. It’s not a human willed thing, a blind leap-off-the-cliff activity, or hopeful thinking. It’s the right idea unfolding in natural and normal ways as that right idea is genuinely cherished.
Thanks for sharing!
Great stories and ideas.
My question is if you get the interviews, just no offers. I understand we go to give our knowledge and experience and pray to work on understanding the unlimited God, good qualities, just still no offers - continually having someone else favored?
Hi Marie,
There is a niche for you to fill that only you can fill! Divine Love makes room for everyone, so there is a place for you to work that’s right for you and right for the employer. This is a truth that I would include in your prayers…
Be assured that the one Mind brings supply together with demand, coordinating all the activities of the economy for the benefit of everyone. No win-lose situation in God’s workplace. No competition for the right place for you. You are the right candidate for the right job that’s right for you! And Mind puts you together with it.
Hope that helps…
“Sometimes it’s just good to relax, go with the flow
see where the discovery leads you”. I truly do not fit in.
I do not. I’m convinced that I’m not from this galaxy!
That’s why it is written in “Science and Health”
God is infinite. I have always felt unique, different,
the odd-ball. And I am!
I’m attractive, mind my own business, and I don’t
give a flip what others think of me. I’m for the first time
in my life following my own unique life path.
I was born into one of the most dsyfunctional families on earth, married a total jerk, two kids I adore , but who
make stupid choices, I’ve been lied to, talked about,
the guys I chose and have been with have been a nightmare!
I’m asking myself? Where do these people come from?
Now- I set boundaries! I no longer talk to everyone and
I contain myself. I’m content with myself. I read. I eat out. I for the most part enjoy being alone.
For me ideal companionship is loads of distance
sprinkled with fidelity, spontainiey, freedom, yet committment. In other words “Moral freedom in Soul”
Evan C.S.B. reply to last comment.
Hi Karen,
It’s nice to hear from you!
You mention that you’re convinced you’re “not from this galaxy.” From my point of view, there is only one “galaxy,”–God’s! And you are in it! Just like me, and everyone else. But yes, we’re all unique, special, individual. We reflect an infinite God that has infinite individuality, so naturally, God’s individuality is going to be expressed in an infinite number of ways, shapes and forms. Each is special and perfect in its own individual way. So, you don’t need to feel like you’re living in a foreign land. Your uniqueness does not separate you from others, but unites you with God. Feeling “at home” with God, makes us feel at home with life. And it sounds like that is what you are finding in your own experience.
Lots of love to you…
“Don’t settle for anything less; Do what you love”. Boy, that seems like a really difficult thing. I mean, what if what you love is something that seems impossible, like managing a major league baseball team or coaching for the NFL? Or modeling, and you don’t have the physique for it or teaching in a university, and you don’t have the smarts for it? It doesn’t seem realistic that we can really do what we love, and I would venture to say that the majority of people live their lives doing what they have to do more than what they really want to.
It’s quite inspiring to read what has been posted about finding a spiritually satisfying job. There are instances when i feel like what i’m doing is quite inefficient in realising my purpose. Now am in college doing a course that was my second choice, i happened to miss the first choice by one point required by the college for entry! Nowi have always thought of just doing the current course to get the first degree and then later revert toi something else. This has really caused me a lot of lapses until recently i realised that living in the now is what i need. I am actually using what am doing now to realise some of my dreams. Since there is no place that Divine love is not, am convinced that in doing what i do today where i am, i can get all the satisfaction i want if it is geared towards the absolute good and to the service of my {neighbour}.
To #21 anon above,
You ask, what if something you’d love to do is way beyond reason…like modeling, or managing a NFL team…
This is when it helps to revise what it means to “do what you love.”
This question implies that love is limited by worldly circumstances. It implies that you have to have a certain job before you can feel love and happiness. But it’s really the other way around. You find love in God, feel it, and then experience it. The love part comes first, then an outward job experience that corresponds to the love you’re feeling and experiencing within.
So, focus on finding true love within first, that grows out of understanding spiritual reality better and feeling closer to God, and the great job will follow.
Hope that helps…
“Incubate” Incubation. Divine voice. Intuition.
Patience. Truth.
“Yes!” In the human sense it takes approximately
nine months of the fetus being incubated, so to speak.
Ideas, sometimes need to be incubated(contained)
protected for a time in order to bear fruit.
I want the fruit of the vine. My words, my presence
to make a difference in the world.
Having a good quiet breakfast, lunch, dinner. Reading a
truthful , inspiring book, relaxing showers baths,
dining out, keeping a journal of these inspired ideas
presenting them to the right people at the right time.
Sales and Marketing. Being able to present your idea
before the public, your unique niche that only you can
fill. Risk-taking! Confidence!
While everybody else is in a race to the “quote”
finish line, realize that there is plenty of time,
no competition, and plenty of supply. This is my first
breakthrough!
Peace
r
Evan Mehlenbacher C.S.B.
Thanks for knowing the truth. K.H.
To Karen,
You are welcome. I’m grateful for your breakthrough!
“…plenty of time, no competition, and plenty of supply.”
Thanks Evan! This came to me (much like some of the previous posters) by way of my sister at a time when I really need it.
I’ve had a lot of change this past year in my personal life (relationships ending and beginning, changing homes several times, really establishing my faith in Christian Science), and it was becoming so daunting to have to take on another challenge, having faced so many this year already. However, in reading this, it became so clear to me that God’s support is present, vivacious, and unceasing and that I shouldn’t be afraid at all, for any of it. There’s nothing but love ahead of me.
Thanks for renewing my courage.
–Kelly
Kelly,
You are a survivor! You are a Warrior for God. Just like
I am! The injustice you’ve suffered isn’t right, and
God will adjust the balance. There’s a divine
scale that operates in the universe. Everything evens out
eventually. Alot of good is on it’s way to you.
Hold on. Do what you have to do. Even if it means
taking legal steps. Take care sweety.
Karen