Friday, October 17, 2025

Got some work. How do you like your career or job? 65% of Americans are satisfied with their work, and only about 20% are “passionate” about what they do.

 "..then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, 'Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” Nehemiah 6:2-3 nasb

Did they all feel like doing the work on that wall? It sure was very necessary -- it was God's will.  

Stay on the Wall Bro — Let's Do Work That Protects People and Honors God

I will pray for you if you need some employment. 

Whatever your task, if you are serving the Lord where you are, you are doing a great work for God. Whether you greet guests at the church door, lead worship in song, guide children in truth, or labor quietly behind the scenes, your faithfulness is sacred. God’s measure of greatness is not position but obedience.

“It is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). The world may rank work by importance, but heaven weighs it by devotion. Martin Luther once said, “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps, but because God loves clean floors.”

Nehemiah knew this truth well. When his enemies tried to distract him from rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall, he refused to come down. “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down” (Nehemiah 6:3). His strength was not pride but purpose. God’s work deserves our undivided heart.

Paul echoed the same spirit: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). Work becomes worship when done for God’s glory. Whether in ministry, at home, or in the marketplace, your labor can become an altar of praise.

Work is also a means of love—toward family and others. “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith” (1 Timothy 5:8). Diligence is not drudgery when seen as stewardship; it’s an act of worship.

Charles Spurgeon reminded, “To a man who lives unto God, nothing is secular, everything is sacred. He puts on his workday garment and it is a vestment to him.”

So keep building. Keep serving. Don’t come down from your wall until the work is done. You may not see all the fruit, but the Lord does. “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

Work for His glory. Provide for those you love. Finish your race with joy, knowing that in the Lord, “your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Ask God what you are called to do after getting right with Him through Christ. 

What is Christian tentmaking?

What is vocational ministry?

Where did Paul learn to be a tentmaker?

How can I know if I have received a call to ministry?

What sort of careers can a Christian consider?

Does the Bible make a distinction between the secular and the sacred work?

What is a timeline of Paul's life?

What does the Bible say about workaholism? Let's not make an idol of our work or of anything?

What is a bi-vocational pastor?

Who were Priscilla and Aquila?

What is really this “tentmaking” in ministry?

How can I overcome ministry burnout? 

What does the Bible say about fatigue? 

What does the Bible say about burnout? 

Where/how do you draw the line between helping someone and working too much. 

What the data says — Hey, you’re not alone

You asked how many people end up in careers they didn’t primarily want, or stay in jobs that aren’t their preference. While few studies ask exactly that in Christian ministry vs secular work terms, there are data on job satisfaction and related mismatch, which speaks to what you’re describing.

  • A 2024 Pew Research Center study shows about 50% of U.S. workers say they are extremely or very satisfied with their job overall. Another ~38% are “somewhat satisfied,” and ~12% are not much satisfied with their work situation. PewResearch 

  • Another source says about 65% of Americans are satisfied with their work, and only about 20% are “passionate” about what they do.  

  • Among those least satisfied are the areas of pay, opportunity for promotion, recognition, flexibility, etc. PewResearch 

So yes — a large share of people work in jobs that are okay, or tolerable, or even good in many respects, but only a small proportion feel they are doing exactly what they would ideally choose, or are living out their highest calling every day.


The spiritual & emotional side

What you describe — feeling anger, grief, loss over the path you didn’t choose, and even feeling like your ministry is limited — is very human, and in many traditions fairly common. If I may, some Biblical and spiritual reflections:

  • God’s plans are not always the same thing as our plans. Joseph in the Old Testament didn’t think he would be sold into slavery, but God used that to save many. Paul’s missionary journeys were not always his own choosing, but Paul on these trips was instrumental in the growth of the early church. Sometimes God’s “yes” is behind paths we didn’t foresee.

  • Our identity in Christ does not ultimately depend on what we are “doing” externally, but who we are in him, how we love, how we bear witness, how we serve. Blogging, audio teaching, caring for people — these are valuable ministries.

  • Many people God used deeply were lay people, not full-time preachers. Your job in hospitality might give you ways to show Christ’s love in tangible ways: kindness to guests, moral integrity, encouragement to coworkers; maybe even sharing your faith in small conversations. That matters.


How can you, with God's grace, better cope, moving forward, while finding hope

Need some practical and spiritual steps that may help:

  1. Grieve & accept
    It’s okay to feel disappointed. Give yourself space to grieve what you thought your life would look like. Accepting reality doesn’t mean giving up; it means freeing your energy to work with what you do have.

  2. Reframe what “ministry” means
    You don’t have to stand at a pulpit to serve or preach. Ministry can be through writing, through hospitality, through photography, through caring for someone in need, mentoring, prayer, small group teaching, or hospitality to strangers. God sees those.

  3. Set realistic, measurable goals
    For blogging / audio blog:

    • How many posts or episodes per month can you commit to?

    • What topics? Who specifically do you want to reach?

    • How will you share those posts? Social media, church newsletter, etc.

  4. Learn some skills you’ll need: audio recording/editing, writing, how to reach an audience online, managing a small content calendar. These take time, but can increase your confidence and impact.

  5. Find a community
    Connect with others who do similar ministry (bloggers, lay-teachers, etc.). Not only for encouragement, but also for accountability, shared learning, maybe even collaboration.

  6. Do small steps in speaking
    Even if you’re not “invited” formally, see if you can speak to small groups in your church, at retreats, family gatherings, youth groups. That keeps your teaching muscles alive, even if it’s not the big pulpit.

  7. Offer your services
    Maybe offer media or audio teaching in your church, or help teach a Sunday school class, or lead a small group. Ways to serve, share, teach without depending on being “professionally” called up.

  8. Prayer & spiritual perspective
    Keep your heart with the Lord: studying Scripture, worship, communion with God. Ask for peace, clarity, perseverance. God’s spirit gives gifts: some are “speaking/preaching,” some are “serving,” some are “encouragement,” some are “giving.” (See Romans 12, 1 Cor. 12).


Audio blogging / podcasting for free — how to do it now

Since you said you’d like to do an audio blog (podcast) but struggle to find free long-space:

Here are some platforms and their limitations, plus tips:

PlatformFree Plan?Limitations / Pros
PodbeanYes — free plan available. PodbeanLimited storage. Might have less bandwidth or fewer features. Good to start small.
Anchor (now part of Spotify for Podcasters)Yes — free hosting/distribution. LifewireSometimes less control over everything, possibly fewer bells and whistles. But good for starting.
BuzzsproutHas a free plan (“free trial,” limited hours) The free plan may limit how many hours you can upload or how long episodes are stored.
YouTubeYes — you can upload audio + static image or video recording. Free, and huge reach.You’ll need to do some extra formatting; might be different kind of audience. But it’s free, and many people find listeners there.

What you can do:

  • Start with one episode — record on your phone or basic recorder; keep it short (10-15 minutes) if that feels manageable.

  • Use free editing software (Audacity is free; there are free mobile apps too).

  • Use a free hosting platform (Anchor or Podbean) to upload. Make sure your RSS feed is generated so you can submit to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.

  • Promote each episode wherever you can: social media, church, email list.

  • Over time, if people listen, you can invest in better gear or paid hosting.


Hope for the future

You asked for hope. Here’s what I believe, based on what I see and some truths:

  • You can still preach. Even if you’re not hired as a preacher, you still have a voice. God can use your writing, your audio, your influence in your community. Don’t measure impact only by large crowds — small lives are worth it.

  • Your path may still shift. Certainly many people find a way later in life to move into what they thought was their calling, or find a hybrid way: part hospitality / work job + part speaking or ministry. Doors may open later when you least expect them.

  • God is not unjust. Sometimes we feel that God “took something away” — but maybe he’s using this season to grow you, to shape character, to teach perseverance, humility, love, dependence on Him. Often those who serve well in public ministry have had long seasons of unseen or “hidden” work first.

  • You are valuable. The difference you make by how you love, teach, serve, care is real — even if you can’t always see it. Your faithfulness matters.


When God Redirects Our Calling

Many of us find ourselves on paths we never planned. You once dreamed of preaching the Gospel full-time, yet God led you into hospitality — a ministry of service that, though not from the pulpit, can still reveal His love.

You’re not alone in this. Studies show that nearly two-thirds of people work in jobs they didn’t originally choose — and only about one in five feel truly passionate about their work. Yet even here, purpose can bloom. “In all toil there is profit” (Proverbs 14:23), and “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

Joseph didn’t choose the path to Egypt. Daniel didn’t plan to serve in Babylon. But God used both where they were planted. The call of God is not confined to pulpits; it thrives wherever faithfulness abides. Charles Spurgeon once said, “To be a servant of God in the meanest capacity is honor enough for the greatest man.”

When the doors to public ministry close, God sometimes opens a hidden chapel of the heart — where your life itself becomes the sermon. Your guests, coworkers, and readers may be the very congregation God entrusts to you today.

John Wesley encouraged, Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can.” Hospitality gives you that chance daily — to live the Gospel through warmth, patience, and kindness.

Blogging and audio teaching can still be powerful pulpits. Paul preached from prison through his letters; you can preach through your posts. “The word of God is not bound” (2 Timothy 2:9). Even if you never know who reads or listens, the Lord does. “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days” (Ecclesiastes 11:1).

Don’t despise small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). One faithful word can change a life. One voice of grace can echo through eternity.

When you feel forgotten, remember: Jesus knows the cost of obscurity. He spent thirty years in hidden labor before three years of public ministry. “God’s delays are not God’s denials,” said Corrie ten Boom.

Perhaps this is your season of refining, not retiring. A time to grow deeper, not smaller.

Keep loving the Lord more than the platform, and people more than applause. As you walk humbly, teach quietly, and serve faithfully, you’re preaching a Gospel louder than words.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” — 1 Corinthians 15:58


When you rise up tomorrow to go begin your work, pause to pray. God help me be ready for anything you allow to come my way--I know you and I can handle it with your Spirit and wisdom. Help me see it not as routine but as ministry..even if it's practically helping someone. God, help me know that this diligence applied can encourage a coworker or visitor, or comfort a weary soul, or reflect You light..I mean Christ's character through patience, faith and humility. Assist me in obeying You, yes with every faithful act—seen or unseen—so that me and my work will become an offering. Help me be a living sermon where you stand. Make my whole life a prayer and praise to You. 

Lord, teach me to see You in it, yes, Your glory in my daily work. Help me to labor not for man's applause or recognition, but for Your pleasure. There is a lot of service demanded where I go -- help me not get over-stressed and overwhelmed. Keep me steadfast in You, and loyal where You have placed me.. and where you lead me. May my service, attitude and words—all of it, whether in word, deed, or duty—become pure worship that honors You and really blesses others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Sunday, October 5, 2025

A good decision. Leaders, lets be and act selfless like Christ--like servant leaders. (a life long study)

Choose to take the high humble way by the Spirit.. even when some church leaders repeatedly opt for the low arrogant road in the completely opposite direction. Your flesly nature won't feel like it, but die to the worldly way.

The Bible says: "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God." Rom. 15:5-7 kjv

What's this whole chapter 15 of Romans about? This...

A believer has a debt to the weak (1–6). The strong Born again Christian is to bear the weak up and help them grow, and that takes love and patience. If we live to please ourselves, we will not follow the example of Christ who lived to please the Father and help others.

A believer has a debt to the lost (7–21). God saved the Jews so that they might reach and win the Gentiles and lead them in praising the Lord. God has saved us so that we might win others. We have a debt to pay (1:14).

A believer has a debt to Israel (22–33). The Gentiles are indebted to the Jews (John 4:22). And that debt is paid by praying for them (Ps. 122:6), witnessing to them in love, and sharing our material gifts to assist them.

“To consider persons and events and situations only in the light of their effect upon myself is to live on the doorstep of hell.” ~ Thomas Merton

It is such a strange and sorrowful thing when the fellowship of believers, a local church—meant to be a garden of love and grace—in some pockets turns into a power struggle and battlefield of egos. 

There are a lot of very decent, healthy churches teaching the Bible with exemplary leaders, but not all leaders are what they appear to be in public.

Too often, we find not servants but self-appointed monarchs in our midst, small-souled emperors eager to rule their tiny hill of influence. They smile in the hallway and quote Scripture in the classroom, but behind closed doors their tongues become swords, cutting down those who might threaten their little kingdom. This is not the Spirit of Christ.

God’s vision for His Church is far higher, holier, and humbler. “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God” (Romans 15:5–7). The Church was never meant to be a stage for ambition. It is the living body of Christ, where every member is to work in harmony so that Christ Himself is seen—not our petty rivalries.

But what do we do when unity feels impossible? When the person beside us in the pew acts more like Diotrephes—“who loves to be first” (3 John 1:9)—than like Christ? The answer is not to mimic their behavior, nor to abandon the call to unity, but to remember that our conduct is measured not by their carnality but by God’s commands. We are to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21), to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15), and, if necessary, to “mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine” (Romans 16:17) without becoming divisive ourselves.

And as for leadership, Scripture leaves no room for hypocrisy. Those who serve as deacons—and by extension anyone who leads in Christ’s name—must live by the standard God sets, not their own ambitions. Paul lists the qualities clearly (1 Timothy 3:8–13):

  • They must be dignified—men and women of genuine respect.

  • Not double-tongued—honest and consistent, not two-faced.

  • Not given to much wine—disciplined and sober-minded. (I say that your leader ought not to drink at all, cuz people need Him to consistently make wise evaluations and decisions)

  • Not greedy for dishonest gain—free from selfish motives.

  • Holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience—deeply rooted in sound doctrine and integrity.

  • Tested and proven—faithfulness demonstrated over time.

  • Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded and faithful.

  • They must manage their children and households well.

Such leaders do not fight to be kings of small hills. They stoop low to wash feet. They do not smear their brethren but bear their burdens. They do not grasp for power but pour themselves out in service. This is the way of Christ—and anything less is not leadership but theatre.

The believer and the church’s witness in the world depend on the difference.

It is one of the great griefs of the Christian life: sometimes, those who bear Christ’s name wound more deeply than those who deny Him altogether. Liney and I have been treated with more kindness, respect, and honesty in certain secular workplaces than in a few church halls that claimed to be houses of grace. That should never be. The local church—Christ’s bride—is meant to be a refuge of love, not a field of competition. And yet, even among those who open Bibles on Sunday, we sometimes find hearts that are closed on Monday.

A.W. Tozer once warned, “The church that can’t weep over its own sin is too blind to weep over the sins of the world.” Sadly, too many fellowships are poisoned not by false doctrine, but by fleshly ambition. 

Elders and pastors are called to set the spiritual temperature, modeling humility, accessibility, doctrinal soundness, and above all, Christlike love. Paul’s charge remains: “An overseer must be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach… not quarrelsome, not a lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:2–3). If the shepherds are proud, dismissive, or cold, the flock will mirror them.

The wounds inflicted by lost “religious” leaders are not small. Dishonest, competitive, self-promoting deacons do more than offend—they corrode trust and deform the witness of the gospel. Charles Spurgeon put it bluntly: “Of all men, we who serve at God’s altar should be the humblest. Pride is doubly monstrous in the pulpit.” Some love their titles more than their Lord. They crave recognition, make promises they never intend to keep, and speak piously in public while gossiping in private. 

They position themselves for influence, stepping on others as they climb the church ladder. And when they do, the result is often tragic: disillusioned volunteers, embittered servants, and cynical hearts that want nothing to do with “church” again.

But hear me: Christ is not like them. If you confuse the failures of men with the character of God, you will stop praying, stop trusting, and eventually stop gathering. Jesus warned that “tares” would grow among the wheat (Matthew 13:24–30), and that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” truly belongs to Him (Matthew 7:21–23). 

Hypocrites among God’s people are not new. Think of Diotrephes, “who loves to be first” and refused to welcome fellow believers (3 John 1:9–10), or the Pharisees, who “honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me” (Matthew 15:8). God records these stories not to embitter us, but to warn us—and to teach us what never to become.

What is spiritual abuse?

What is a real spiritual leader?

Why are there so many religions with all the various so called "leaders"? Do all religions lead to God? Nope.

What is the definition of a cult?

What is the difference between a sect and a cult?

How can I help someone to leave a toxic cult..or toxic group?

What can we learn from the laws that God gave for the kings of Israel?

What does it mean to be a godly husband?

Got some general questions about the Church?

What is spiritual abuse? How can I recover from it?

How should conflict in the church be handled?

What is the spiritual gift of leadership?

Are we supposed to obey our pastors? 

I have been burned and hurt by the church in the past..so now what?

What is gaslighting?

What does the Bible say about emotional abuse?

Is it wrong to be a solo Christian?

What should you do if you have been burned and hurt by the church? Ask, was a real crime committed? If so, first go report it to the police..DUH!

What are some signs of spiritual abuse?

The pastor and leaders in a church are to be good examples, setting the tone for a healthy situation for all. What are the qualifications of elders and deacons?

What is spiritual manipulation?

I really want you in a safe place, in Christ, and in a safe church as well. God the Father wants that for you as well.

Even the injustices we suffer can become teachers. I’ve been promised platforms only to have the microphone snatched away. I’ve watched others jockey for visibility while claiming to “serve.” Yet even here, God whispers: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Bitterness is a prison we build for ourselves. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

There will be a reckoning. “Each of us will give an account of himself to God (Romans 14:12). At the Judgment Seat of Christ, every hidden motive will be laid bare (1 Corinthians 4:5). At the Great White Throne, every false profession will be exposed (Revelation 20:11–15). 

The goats will be separated from the sheep (Matthew 25:32), and the wheat from the tares (Matthew 13:39–43). Until then, we press on—not becoming bitter, but better.

So forgive people and God. He's never done you wrong. Be encouraged and comforted in Christ's Spirit and His word.

Choose to be spiritual, and the encouraging voice in a cynical room. Be the gentle presence among the harsh. Be the Christlike servant when others seek the spotlight. 

As Corrie ten Boom said, “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred.” And never forget: the failures of the Church’s people cannot undo the faithfulness of Christ Himself. God delights to use people in both evangelism and biblical discipleship. He is still building His Church—and the gates of hell, nor the pride of hypocrites, will prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18). Read more.. Fish4souls.org

Thomas Sowell said, "When you want to help someone, you'll tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you'll tell them what they want to hear."

Please tell em what's really so.. as much as they can handle at that moment.

Got some work. How do you like your career or job? 65% of Americans are satisfied with their work, and only about 20% are “passionate” about what they do.

 "..then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, 'Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they...