Thoughts On the End of Seminary and the Job Search

Now that seminary is over, the job search and waiting begin.  It's been a long time since I had to look for a full-time job.  The road ahead is not very clear, but I feel there are two paths that would suit me well. The first is to be an associate pastor at a church here in the area.  Ideally I'd like to be doing some teaching as part of that role. the other option is to return to teaching full-time.  My preference there would be to teach Bible / theology classes at a private Christian school.

However, I am trying to wait and see what God has in store for us.  We have prayed for God to open and close doors as He sees fit (and He has).  A couple of jobs that seemed interesting were filled before I had a chance to interview for them (two closed doors).  My natural response is to be disappointed, but since I prayed for this I have to let go of any disappointment.  If I prayed for God to close the doors, I cannot be upset when He answers that prayer request.  I have trust that God has something else planned for me.

That something else may be a role as a senior pastor.  This is NOT an area in which I feel comfortable.  I have preached a few sermons in three preaching classes, but never in front of a congregation.  My sermons have improved, but sometimes I get stuck comparing myself to other preachers / students.  I'm not as good as Pastor ____.  Perhaps God wants me to be a senior pastor BECAUSE I feel so weak in this area.  Being a senior pastor would force me to my knees and remove any hope of relying on my own strengths and abilities.

A few years ago, I remember sitting in church listening to the guest preacher speak.  I cannot remember what his sermon was about, but he mentioned that God has not promised us a comfortable life.  God calls some people to a difficult task.  This thought shook me up and I realized that perhaps God has something planned for me like that.  Perhaps it is something which, if I knew ahead of time, I would have run away from.  Now that seminary is done, that difficult task may be what is next.

May God give me the strength to fulfill His plans for my life.