The Voice of Vocation

By: Jon Cassady

Luke 12: 22-26

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?          

In January 2009, I learned I was being laid off as of February 26th. I was shocked, angry, hurt and disappointed. I had planned to retire from IBM. I had given this company my loyalty, time, energy and talents for 27 years, and this is what I was getting: laid off.

By the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, I received a moment of clarity. I realized that our Father had something exciting in store for me. I was extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to work for such a great company for over 27 years. I’d been given a great gift of employment with terrific experiences and opportunities.

In response, I turned to prayer and asked the Father for his grace, guidance and protection as I discerned my next move. I then called and sent out e-mails to my network, including my CIC brothers. I informed them of my news and requested prayers.

On my final day at IBM I e-mailed my colleagues, “I leave today with a grateful heart, thankful for the opportunity to work alongside such a caliber of colleagues which cannot be matched. I'm excited for this new chapter in my life. I recently read an excellent book by Parker J. Palmer, Let Your Life Speak, Listening for the Voice of Vocation. It has encouraged me to take some time off to reflect so I can discover my next vocation. May you have a blessed and prosperous 2009 and beyond.”

Palmer encourages his readers to reflect and meditate on one's weaknesses and fears. He asserts that this is where we find life to pour out most abundantly. Though we must turn inward, Palmer says, this is not to be a lonely or solitary experience. In fact, he argues this must occur in community, for we cannot see clearly into ourselves on our own. We need to have friends and family to help us discover the things we cannot see in ourselves.

In my daily prayer, I ask our Father to keep me teachable and open to his will. I have faith in his provision for my life and am very peaceful as I discover my new vocation. As we profess in Christians in Commerce, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)

TAKE THE CHALLENGE: Do I trust the Lord completely to care for my needs, however small or great?

Jon has since found employment and is currently serving as the Operations Manager for Christians in Commerce.