Q&A Home > C > Career/Career Choice

• After a semester and a half of law school, I have realized that it is really not the place for.me. I really did feel that God's plan for me was to become a lawyer, but I am questioning that now. I have done some research and am seriously thinking about applying for graduate school to get a Master of Arts in Teaching. I have loved my limited experience with teaching, which has been tutoring high school math students, teaching pre-school at an Orthodox school, and tutoring middle school girls.
• Does focusing on a career too much prevent others seeing the need to embrace the gospel? How can we bring His kingdom on earth if we focus on careers too much? Jesus said to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God's. Is that solely the job of those whom the Church has chosen to preach the word? Would the economy go down if no one made advances in their chosen careers? Would having less rich Christians mean less food is given to the poor? St. Paul says the unbeliever would be better than him. The apostles had no money, yet they made time for the people in need and strangers and Jesus told the rich man to leave all and follow Him. Is that necessary if you want to further the kingdom? Didn't Jesus say it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom? Is it because they would have less time to serve strangers? The person with one talent said Jesus reaped where He had not sown. He complained so he hid his talent. What does it mean that he hid his talent? Did he fear losing his faith if he preaches to others? Did he fear if he succeeds in the world, he would lose his salvation? Did he fear if he succeeds in the world and serves God with his success, he would lose what he gained from the world? What is the downside of having less advances in technology? I know sometimes lives can be saved, but what else? If the world sees Christians as lazy, does it reflect badly on the gospel? Who will warn them of the Judgment?
• Does Your Grace think that a career in medicine in the US is too demanding and that it could take away from other priorities (e.g. service)?
• I am a student in college and I have a concern. Right now I am trying to transfer into a pharmacy school and all I have to do is do well t his semester and take some summer classes and then I can transfer. But I keep having second thoughts about pharmacy and sometimes I want to be a physician. I realize that I have to take standardized tests like the MCAT (for medical school) or the PCAT (for pharmacy school). I don't know which way to choose. I think sometimes that I can be a doctor, but I also think that I am not as good as a student would be before going into med school. I know a friend who went to med school and told me that there is a lot of material and very few breaks throughout the semester. The pharmacy school in which I am trying to transfer isn't easy either. Thanks to God, I have good grades in the University where I am currently enrolled, but in the pharmacy school, the best grades I can get are C+ to a B-, even if I work as hard as I do now. My Mom's friend confirmed this because her daughter goes through the same thing and many kids who attend this school and come to our church say the same thing. The teachers apparently don't make it easier. The pharmacy school is near where I live and I don't really want to move away from home, but prefer to just commute.  Also, it's not that I want to have either job; its just that I feel that sometimes I have to be assured that God has something beneficial for me in the future. Whether it is for me to be a pharmacist, physician, or engineer, etc., I know all of our futures rest in God's hands, but sometimes I wish He would let me in on what He has in store for me in the future. Can you please offer some advice?
• I am currently in college, majoring in communication studies. I was wondering if there were any careers that I could pursue after I graduate that would help our Coptic Church. This career wouldn't take away my weekly service in the church, but help me earn a living in order that if God willing I have a family of my own that I would be able to support while doing something that I really like. I am a person who can easily get stressed out and have a hard time dealing with pressure and stress.
  It would tremendously help, if you could recommend a certain career that I might be interested in that will help me make a living but make me happy at the same time.