11. What Are You Going To Be When You Grow Up?

Isn't it crazy that at the young age of high school graduation you have a major question to answer, "what are you going to be when you grow up?"  How well do we really know ourselves at that age.  And without God navigating, we can make some unaligned choices ... like me becoming a CPA when I didn't like math  😳.  People pleasing can guide us into making the wrong choice for the wrong reasons.  Career paths can be God aligned and God equipped when we are seeking Him for guidance.  Without His guidance, it's kinda a crap shoot.  

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Transcript

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I'm sure you've been asked, so what are you going to be when you grow up? I'm sure you've even asked yourself probably a ton of times the same question. And isn't it crazy that at 17 or 18, with zero life experience, you're expected to make this huge life-shaping decision that lays the path to your future. You know, I didn't have God in my life growing up. So when it came time to choose a college path and career, I was on my own. And when you don't know who you are, what you're wired for, and what you're actually called to be, you don't choose from purpose or knowing. You choose from maybe family pressure, from practicality, or in my case, I'd say sheer ignorance. So I ask myself, what will pay the bills? That was my directive. And somehow I landed on accounting. And let me just say I didn't even like math. So that choice was a little questionable. Okay, very questionable. But by the grace of God and probably a lot of stubbornness and tenacity on my part, I passed the CPA exam. And then I spent several years struggling in a career that I could do, but not do well. And here's my point. Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's what you were created to do. And here's where everything began to shift. It was actually through my time spent bumbling through tax codes that God started revealing a different path for me. I had started to pray that He reveal what my passion was. And I felt led to go back to school for counseling. Now let me tell you, I couldn't even spell psychopathology at that point. So clearly, this was a leap of faith. But this time was different. This time I was walking with the Lord. I was listening to Him. I was seeking Him. And instead of figuring out on my own, I was being guided. My career change, by the way, is such an incredible God story. I'll share that with you sometime. So now I'd love to tell you that I was just so excited to jump into this new path. But looking at two more years of college after already doing five years, that was not exciting. But here's what I learned. When something is aligned with God's purpose, it carries a different kind of energy. Those two years, they flew by. I learned to spell psychopathology. I learned the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist and a psychotherapist. And I have never looked back. And honestly, every tax season now, when the weather in Florida is perfect, I just feel extra grateful because I'm no longer inside staring at piles of files and cranking out tax returns. And I share all of that with you to make this point. When God is in your life, you begin to live with guidance instead of guesswork. And you become so much more aware of what aligns, what drains you, what fits and what doesn't. And over time, you begin to follow his direction. And for me, trust in his plan grew. It's still growing. And my hyperindependence gives way to his guidance. So today I can honestly say I feel fulfilled. There is a deep sense of purpose in what I do and a tremendous amount of passion. And more than that, I know I'm equipped for where God has placed me. I'm not figuring it out alone. I followed him right into it. And now let's bring this back to you because this is where people pleasing can quietly derail your life. As a people pleaser, you get detoured from God's purpose by surrendering to other people's needs, to other people's expectations and other people's opinions. And over time, you can build a life that looks good, but doesn't feel aligned. And it may not even feel good. It may feel caged, especially when you know you're living a caged life and you can see what else is out there in the world for you to do that God is even directing you to do. That's a caged life, my friend. When you're living in relationships that don't reflect who you are, in roles that don't fit how you're wired, you just don't feel free. Galatian 5 1 tells us Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand. Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. If there is ever a verse, friends, that gives you permission to replace your people-pleasing habits, it's Galatians 5, 1. I'm sure there's more, but that's the one I'm using for today's podcast. God has set us free through Christ, and people pleasing sends us right back into that slavery. Not chains that you can see, but habits that control you, approval that controls you, and fear that controls you. So Galatians 5 is your permission, friend, to replace your people pleasing habits with habits that are honest and healthy. Ephesians 2, 10 says, For we are God's workmanship created for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. You know what that means? It means that your life is intentional, your purpose is designed, and you've been given gifts to equip you for your purpose, all divinely given by God because He knows you better than anybody else in this entire planet, including yourself. So here's a key takeaway: you cannot be who everyone else wants you to be and who God created you to be at the same time. So here's a question I want you to sit with. Where in my life am I saying yes out of pressure instead of purpose? And listen, if you feel like you've taken a wrong path, you're not stuck. God is not limited by your past decisions. He is incredibly good at redirecting just like he did for me. So maybe the question isn't what are you supposed to be when you grow up? Maybe the better question is, am I living in alignment with who God created me to be? And maybe start with this: what feels misaligned in my life? As you ponder that important question, ask God into your process. Ask him to show you where a shift will bring you into his alignment. And just imagine hearing the chains that have enslaved you clunking to the ground. Ah, such a sweet sound of freedom. Until next time, friends.