I'm ashamed to admit there were several times along this journey that I turned to them in tears. I was ready to give up because it was HARD. There were times it was straight up miserable. During these moments, doubt would creep in and cause me to question whether or not God was really calling me to be a nurse.
My dad taught me a valuable lesson in deciphering whether or not God is directing us to a different career. Because we're guaranteed to question if we are on the right path. Regardless of whether we are just choosing our major, or celebrating twenty years on the job. Regardless of whether we are 19, or 46.
Ask yourself these three main questions:
1. Has God given you another passion?
Passion is a valuable component, innumerably more so than salary or other tangible benefits a job has to offer. Without passion, you will be miserable in whatever job you pursue. You will have many doubts along your career path that will leave you wanting to throw in the towel and quit. But don't be so quick to discard your calling without feeling as though God has placed something else on your heart. Simply stopping in your path is not an option, that is just looking for a way out and errs toward laziness. You must continue on, it may just happen to be in a different direction.
"the desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor." -Proverbs 21:25.
2. Has He instilled you with the gifts to do it?
The desire to do something else is not enough, you must also possess the ability. Reflect on what areas God has gifted you in. Would you be utilizing your talents in your new career path? For He has created us to be productive. Just take a glance at the splendor of creation around us. To think God handcrafted the world in a span of six days! And what did He say after, but "it is good." As image bearers of God, shouldn't we seek to follow His perfect example and be productive, utilizing our gifts to the best of our abilities so that He may be glorified?
3. Is God opening another door?
Oftentimes when the going gets tough, we feel like God is closing a door. But He has promised to not do so without opening another. If it is His will, the opportunity will arise.
If after laying the matter before God, you can answer all three of these questions with an affirmative "yes", then I believe you can be confident that God is directing you towards a new career path. If not, keep turning to Him in prayer for the strength and perseverance to continue. Be encouraged that God has a perfect plan for you, even if it may not seem that way at the moment.
"This is what the LORD says--your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow."- Isaiah 48:17
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