My workplace is where I serve God, but it’s not my identity

Written by Enoch Weng

When I first graduated from SFU in finance, I had high ambitions to “make it big” in society. 

Within a few years I had growing recognition and a number of titles under my belt, such as being the events director for Vancouver Startup Week, or chair of a committee for the Burnaby Board of Trade. 

But instead of feeling fulfilled as I would have imagined, I found myself feeling empty and burnt out. Who was I really? I realized that my faith and work had become divided and dissonant.

Uncovering my addictions

At the time I was working for a startup accelerator, and it was at this point that I felt God call me to leave and pursue something different. After praying and careful reflection, I walked away from a potential tech career. I began to pray that God would open doors—and that my faith and work would be reconciled.

“God, what should I do with my life?” I remember crying out. But there was no answer.

Read more: Can I be confident in knowing God’s will?

The next few months were agonizing as I waited in silence. My savings dripped away, and I felt resentment towards God as I watched my friends around me flourish while I felt stagnant. 

I began to see just how much value I had placed on my personal achievements and career. Without them, I felt broken.

God spoke to me during this time and gently reminded me that my identity was not found in the things of this earth, but in Jesus Christ.

Read more: 5 things waiting on God taught me

Starting again, now as myself

I found myself being directed back towards the finance world, an industry that I’d thought I’d be furthest from. I had grown up with the misconception that the only way to do God’s work was to work in a missions agency or in the church.

But I then stumbled upon some workplace ministry groups. Organizations like Faithtech and LeaderImpact helped me see that business and missions are not mutually exclusive.

Around this time I met my now business partner, Ivan. The two of us felt a strong calling: to share what the Bible says about money and to bring people a step closer to Jesus. And so we started Rise Above Finance.

There are lots of ways to integrate faith and work. God has invited me personally to be upfront with my Christian faith by being someone who explicitly applies biblical wisdom to the financial world. I find it so exciting to help Christians become better stewards and non-Christians step toward Jesus. 

The workplace is now my mission field—a place where the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

Read more: What is global missions? And why does it matter?