Never found happiness in the secular world

  • Thread starter Thread starter PeteZ28
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

PeteZ28

Guest
Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of friends and family that I love dearly and share plenty of happiness with. But I have never found the toils of a secular life particularly rewarding, even when I’ve done pretty good for myself. The only thing that has ever made me unconditionally happy is helping people. Sadly, this doesn’t quite pay well enough to cover food and housing etc. So I’m now in a position, due to a failed business venture, in a position where at 34 I’m most likely going to be starting from nothing again. After the initial shock of losing all of the material things I thought I held dear wore off, I began to feel liberated. For the first time in decades I feel as if I am unusually happy to be free from material distraction. I find it liberating and without the pressure to keep up with secular commitments, I’m starting to think that perhaps it’s time to pursue a long term dream of helping people full time. I don’t think clergy is right for me but the prospect of full time or long term missionary work is becoming highly appealing.

For anyone experienced with this, I’d love to get your insight and advice, perhaps point me to a good organization I can work with. I’m mostly looking for long term, preferably foreign missionary work in some way.
 
Good news indeed. God is helping you onto the right path for your vocation.

Hope you find it and all goes rewardingly.

God bless
 
Thank you. I should probably clarify, I’m particularly interested in a foreign mission as I just want to escape the rate race of the 'States entirely for a while. I think it will help me focus on doing more important things.
 
PeteZ28 said:
For anyone experienced with this, I’d love to get your insight and advice, perhaps point me to a good organization I can work with. I’m mostly looking for long term, preferably foreign missionary work in some way.
Click to expand...
The Peace Corps still exists: peacecorps.gov/ Sounds perfect for you.
 
Warning! Living outside the rat race is deeply fulfilling. Honestly, it can be very tough on families too, and the pressure of being a provider for them…which can become a huge distraction. If you are a family man, or have a desire to be, weight this very carefully.

The grass always seems greener on the other side. I the Holy Spirit is calling you, it will be tough to find peace anywhere else. Make no mistake though…God can use you wherever you are, and would be happy to.

My $.02 from the same struggles. 🙂
 
You might consider religious life; but it seems you know what you want. If you feel called to missionary work, go for it.

I’ll be praying for you. Please pray for me.
 
If you want to be a missionary, check out the Divine Word Missionaries or Maryknoll…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top