I hate my job.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.

Is 55:8

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

What we know is meaningless. All that schooling, the degrees, the resume, the curriculum vitae. Meaningless.

All man’s ways and our education process teaches something that is different than what God teaches. He wants our attention - with 100% of our heart. We have to get rid of what we know to grasp this truth. Once we do, we find a new path for life. It’s pretty awesome. But getting this accomplished takes a change of heart.

College degrees and student loans are something that we are encouraged to pursue. An education helps with things that we need to accomplish and doors that are opened, but these things are secondary to what’s important - what is life giving - what is the purpose we exist. We all know that our purpose is not defined by our degree - student loans seem to define us! I say that in a bit of jest, but unfortunately, there are some situations where student loans actually define people and place them in something closer to indentured servitude.

I do not know what life looks like if I had chosen God's way early in life. Had I adopted a "follow God" life as an 18 year old, would I have gone to college?

I graduated high school and went to college. That started me down a path that today finds me in a career that makes a living and gives me an office to go to every day. This career has opened doors for me and, at times, has proven a very painful path to make a living.

My choices in life as it relates to my career have not been regretful. Those choices, whether made "by me" or "for me" (not sure which) have landed me where I am today and I am okay with it. You should learn to be okay with your circumstances too.

In any stage of life, we have a choice to be content or not. I have found that if we choose contentment, in spite of the circumstances, we are much better off. There are some pretty horrific job situations that might make contentment difficult, maybe impossible. A job change or a career change is okay. But first, try contentment and see if you can achieve that in spite of the circumstances. I have found that when I start from contentment and then seek God, He provides alternatives. God's alternatives is not part of our logic as God does not work within our logic. But He does provide alternatives. The issue here is are we willing to wait for God! Mostly, we are not willing to exercise that sort of patience.

Patience is often referred to as "long suffering" in the Bible. These are different words - not necessarily interchangeable. Patience does not require pain. Long suffering does. If your job is akin to suffering, then long suffering is the sort of thing that is quite painful. If your job is not unpleasant, then patience probably fits better to describe what it takes to get to the God alternatives.

When life presents a bad job situation, then start praying. Take to heart the words to "trust in the LORD with all your heart." This will result in finding contentment. Contentment opens your heart to God's ways - not our ways. Allow God to make your path straight. This He will do! We can trust in that. But it starts with us understanding that God's ways our not our ways. Our logic is worthless and our education may become worthless if we are open to ANYTHING that God might direct when it comes to our path.