Submit yourself to God

Dear Lloyd,

I am so confused on my career today. I have several offers but I am afraid to leave my current work. There are several things that bother me. For example, what if I don’t succeed if I explored another line of career. I wish to have some insights about changing a career, its upsides and downsides and the bottom line of choosing the best from several opportunities.

Thanks and more power!

Dina delos Reyes
Pandacan, Manila

WHEN I was born in May 1982, I was already employed and I started working. Until now, I still work. Despite running a business of my own right now, I realize that I am still an employee—and I have a Big Boss supervising all of my endeavors and itineraries. I am glad that despite the many times that I fail Him, he still keeps me in His Company.

My experience as a son, brother, youth leader, student, and entrepreneur is the most valuable wealth I have earned during the past 23 years of my life on earth. It all started when I discovered my purpose in life.

I am not a religious person. But I have always lived the life that I believe God has envisioned me to live, with all my strength and capacity. And I know that He would be happy if He sees me working for a godly life every day.

Thinking back, I could hardly count the many times He had walked with me, nor the many times when He carried me when I could no longer take my journey.

When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a priest. In fact, I became a member of the Knights of the Altar, or sacristan, in St. Didacus Cathedral in the province, and lived with the clergy for almost one year. I also joined the church choir and would eventually lead them in community singing as an organist.

But I didn’t become a priest.

Since I loved music so much, I also dreamed of becoming a professional musician. I even thought of enrolling in the Conservatory of Music of the University of Sto. Tomas, but my family couldn’t afford it. So I gave up my aspiration to become a professional musician, although at 5 p.m. every Sunday, I continued to play the organ for the Kandila Choir in the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

But I didn’t become a full-fledged musician either.

When I finished high school, I took up Electronics and Communications Engineering. The course was tough. But I learned a lot from it. Right now, in fact, I am thinking of teaching part-time in PUP. But I’m still trying to see if I could find the time to do so.

But then I didn’t become an engineer.

These failures took me closer to God. And no matter how often I get away from Him, He gets to me and calls me to get back to Him. I knew I had the talent and skills to be a priest, to be a full-fledged musician, or to be an engineer. But my Boss didn’t allow me to be become any of them.

I surrendered and submitted myself—and all my aspirations—to God. But I didn’t leave the work to Him. I believe that God has already given all the things that mankind needs. He has already done his part. But I must say “man by nature will never be satisfied.”

One time, while reminiscing about all the things I didn’t become, I realized that they were not really meant for me. They were not things that I became truly passionate about. But when I became passionate in journalism, I became a journalist. When I became passionate in events organizing, I became an events consultant. When I became passionate in speaking, I became a motivational speaker. When I became passionate in writing, I became an author. And since I have been always dealing with the future, I became a futurist and strategist.

But many young people today don’t understand this. They are devoured by their own pride. They depend on their own strength. They lean on their own understanding. They trust their own money. They count on their friends. They count on what they see and what they know. They think it’s about them. Well, I say it’s about the One who created them.

The result of such an outlook is a total systems failure. When depressed, they resort to drugs. When broken-hearted, they fail in their subjects. When they fail their subjects, they don’t bother to get up and try to recover. In short, they choose to ruin their own future. They vainly try to repair the damage instead of preparing for so many other opportunities.

You have all the necessary tools to build a better future. You have the energy, the time, and the capacity to do so. But if you won’t acknowledge that there is Someone-Up-There who can hire and fire you any time of the day, it would take you a lifetime looking for a job and end up still looking and looking for it.


Buddy to the top,

LLOYD A. LUNA