I do what I do to do something else
I think the title is quite strange and to be honest it feels weird to say that statement.
What I mean is, I am not sure if I should be okay long term working a job that doesn’t totally connect with me in order to be able to do something else. My friend Jesse was sharing with me the other day that his musician friends know that they are successful when they no longer have to do a side job to be able to keep playing music, suggesting that they are making enough at their music to no longer need to be paid by another job.
I have taken on the task of being a bi-vocational pastor of my church (that’s a loaded statement and another discussion, which i may have taken on before in this blog, but i digress) and the job I do I do in order to pay the bills and keep doing this church thing. Now I don’t hate my other job, in fact it is very rewarding but I am more in love with idea that I shouldn’t have to do another job in order to do the thing I love.
I am still asking myself the question whether pastoring is the job for me full-time (that also is a discussion for another time and probably one i spoke about in here as well and I know I have talked in great length with nick about), but the truth of the discussion still stands, should we dream that we can work the a job that we love and make a living at it or is that just a pipe dream that i should quickly abandon and believe only happens in movies, and fairy tales and of course to 1 in 1,000,000,000 people. (And BTW I am not simply talking about people who love being engineers and the such, I want to include professional actors, athletes, artists and so on).
I am sure I could be looking in the wrong place, or maybe the job of Pastor is one that should always be done bi-vocationally and then maybe it becomes my hobby? OK, getting back to the point, I want that “job” that fulfills me in all areas of life so that I don’t have to do a job to be able to do something else. Do you hear what I am saying? How do you find that? Is it worth it? Any real life stories?
Sweet, cross linkage.
We need to talk about this some more. I am having startling developments on this topic (he says while becoming a video editor at a skydiving company in New Zealand)
Kyle,
Some thoughts as I’ve also been thinking about this for many years. Firstly, finding fulfillment in a vocation is certainly a great dream but one which I’ve come to realize is a unique luxury and privilege among countries like North America. I am always reminded and humbled by the fact that many in our world do not have the privilege of fulfillment. Survival and finding a job that would pay them enough for food and shelter is difficult for many. I wonder where such people find “fulfillment.” I realize our situation and circumstances are different but this keeps me somewhat grounded on days when I’m pretty grumpy at work.
Secondly, even in our privileged culture, there are aspects of every job that isn’t fulfilling, for many varied reasons. For me, it’s the frustrations and challenges of working with people, with health care providers, governments, bureaucracies, budgets and plain old sin and brokeness that inevitably disappoints.
Thirdly, life is such that our dreams intersect with reality. We do what we need to do sometimes b/c we live not solely for ourselves (culture of individualism) but we live in community. What would happen if your loved ones suddenly got sick or hurt and needed a caregiver? What if your loved ones have a disability? I wonder if in such circumstances, if “our dreams” should become the sole criteria from which we make decisions.
Lastly, there is great value and benefit for every follower of Jesus to have different and varied experiences from which to minister. This does not devalue the need and importance of “full-time” pastors. But I guess you have to ask the question, what does it mean to follow Jesus, “full-time?” As a shepherd, you will find that whatever jobs you do, you’ll have different circles of influence and as such, you’ll be able to combine all of your life experiences to minister to a wider group of people.
Albert