Does God have a career in mind for me?

[cookie-san]

This happened right after I graduated from high school.

I wanted to be a doctor, and right after graduation, I told my parents I wanted to start preparing for my exams (from where I come from, you need to pass a national exam to qualify). My parents suggested I don’t take the year off and asked me to enrol in College.

I tried to juggle both college life and my exam prep… and failed. Miserably. It was mostly my fault- procrastination. But for some reason even when I wanted to study, I couldn’t. I now recognize it as anxiety. I used to cry every day thinking it wasn’t God’s will for me to become a doctor… and hence I’ll never pass my exams even if I study.

Well the thing is I’ve never truly recovered from that failure. A couple of years ago I realized how lazy I used to be… and that has severely affected my confidence levels. Even now I’m not as hard-working as I like to be, but I’ve definitely gotten better (I ended up doing a Masters and came class second).

I want to know… Does God really have a pre-determined career for us? Everyone tells me that the reason I failed is because God didn’t intend it for me. My dad even gives himself as an example, saying how he wanted to be an engineer but ended up in a different job. I get it that he’s trying to console me, but it’s having the opposite effect. I have no courage to try and pursue my dreams, I always think I will fail, or maybe God intends something else for me. Whenever people say that maybe it was intended by God, I end up thinking that maybe I cant achieve what other people can and should end up in a job that is much more easy or not as challenging.

I’m glad where I am and looking back being a doctor doesn’t seem as exciting as my current field (research). Maybe it was God who made the change. But I want to know… if I was meant to be where I am now… did I make a mistake in wanting to be a doctor? Or perhaps God doesn’t interfere with these things?

Sorry for the long post.

 

[1ke]

Does God really have a pre-determined career for us?

No.

Everyone tells me that the reason I failed is because God didn’t intend it for me.

I’m sorry people would tell you such nonsense. You failed because you didn’t study sufficiently or don’t have the knowledge or aptitude.

But I want to know… if I was meant to be where I am now… did I make a mistake in wanting to be a doctor?

That’s not really how God works. He gives us charisms to work for the Kingsom— talents. Sometimes these overlap with our chosen profession, sometimes not. God works through us wherever we are. Few are directly called to a special vocation, even fewer sent directly by God for some specific mission. Most of us build the kingdom in our ordinary lives.

 

[cookie-san]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This was torturing me for so many years! It even lead me away from God. I used to be so afraid of taking any advantage of any opportunity… thinking I’d fail if it wasn’t God’s will.

Ahh, most of the time the people who say things like ‘It wasn’t God’s will’ are not Catholics but Protestants. I used to think like them too and nearly converted… but I’m so glad I came back! I love being Catholic, so much common sense!

Sorry for my overly gushing reply, but you have brought me peace. Thank you!