When God Gets Into Your Career Plans (And You Let Him)

For most of my adult life I subscribed to the idea that you don't share good news before it's official. And after it's official... still use your best discretion. The logic comes attached with fears — if you share too early it won't happen; people will pray against it; the universe will shift out of your favor. You'll miscarry. Snow will cancel your plans. He'll run the night before the wedding. Your top school will rescind. You won't even get the job. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

But here's what I know now: God is literally in control of the people, the witches, and the universe.

There's also this: the moment you share any part of your life, you expose yourself to the opinions of others. And if we're being honest, most of us have built our identities inside those opinions. The answer to "who are you" is usually the same as the answer to "what do you do." Our culture, our parents, social media strangers — they've all taught us to be our accomplishments. We locate ourselves in where we went to school, our best promotion, our financial security. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

But only one opinion actually matters. Is He pleased?

Only one opinion actually matters.

I was coming out of what I'd call a self-proclaimed career crisis when my church started a series on Faith and Work. When I first heard the title, I assumed it was about the theology of salvation — faith alone, not our works, the Holy Spirit doing what we can't. But just like a God who knows exactly what you need before you know you need it... the series was about faith and your 9-to-5. Your 11-to-7. Your 6-to-5. How God wants to consume that part of your life too. ALL work is good work because God created work; He worked; He works still.

I had been feeling like the work in front of me was beneath me. Beneath my experience, beneath my education — both of which had always defined me. On most days, that feeling robbed me of gratitude for the fact that I had three (extremely manageable) jobs. The hunger for more consumed me. If I'm being honest, it still does sometimes. I'm a perfectionist and a slight control freak; surrendering to God is more than a concept for me. Surrendering to the fact that my plan isn't perfect, may not work out, may not even be in my best interest... that stresses me out in a very specific way.

Surrendering to a God who is actually responsible for everything good that's ever happened — including everything great I've ever "done" — is humbling. Sometimes frustrating. Surrender is hard for a driver, a planner, a mover, a more-er. But it's worth it.

I almost didn't tell anyone.

When I decided I wouldn't share my latest news outside of family and close friends, the Holy Spirit (always dependable, always on time with the conviction) reminded me: no accomplishment is mine. Everything I do exists inside God's plan. And I pray — only for His glory.

So. With His help, I passed both parts of the New York State Cosmetology exam. I'm an official hair-doer.

And with His grace, I was accepted into a Master of Fine Arts program at Manhattanville College to study Creative Writing.

I know. It's a lot. I'll explain how I believe it fits.

The plan (now that you know).

The vision is a multilevel, Black-centric space. One floor focused on beauty — a one-stop shop for minority-staffed services and minority-owned products. Another floor for work, life, creativity, and community: a yoga studio, a consulting firm, a co-working space, whatever else the people need — all under one roof.

Now that the plan is out... only God can stop it. And if He does, I believe there's something greater waiting. He'll be there either way.

There is more of God in each part of our lives than we're sometimes willing to acknowledge. My prayer is that you let your heart begin to see Him there — in the career confusion, in the waiting, in the work that feels too small for who you think you are.

He's in all of it.