Forty can feel like a crossroads where comfort meets calling. You’ve built expertise, established routines, and maybe accumulated some financial stability, but deep down, something whispers that this isn’t where you’re supposed to end up. The career that once excited you now feels like a daily grind. You watch the clock, count down to weekends, and wonder if this is really what you want to do for the next twenty-five years.
The thought of starting over at forty brings a unique mix of fear and excitement. There’s the practical voice asking about mortgages, college funds, and retirement savings. Friends might question your sanity, family members worry about your stability, and part of you wonders if you’re having some kind of midlife crisis. But there’s also something stirring that feels like divine discontent, a sense that God might be calling you toward something different, something more aligned with who you’ve become and what you’ve learned.
These verses speak to those standing at the threshold of change, offering biblical wisdom for navigating career transitions with faith, courage, and trust in God’s perfect timing.
Bible Verses for Career Change at 40
1. Jeremiah 29:11 – Plans to Give You Hope and a Future
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.”
New International Version (NIV)
2. Isaiah 43:19 – I Am Making a Way in the Wilderness
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
English Standard Version (ESV)
3. Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
New King James Version (NKJV)
4. Ecclesiastes 3:1 – A Time for Everything
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
New Living Translation (NLT)
5. Joshua 1:9 – Be Strong and Courageous
Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
6. Romans 8:28 – All Things Work Together for Good
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7. Psalm 37:23 – The Steps of a Good Man Are Ordered by the Lord
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
King James Version (KJV)
8. Philippians 4:13 – I Can Do All Things Through Christ
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
9. Proverbs 16:9 – We Plan the Way, but God Directs the Steps
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
The Message (MSG)
10. 2 Corinthians 5:17 – New Creation
Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].
Amplified Bible (AMP)
11. Isaiah 55:8-9 – My Thoughts Are Not Your Thoughts
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
New English Translation (NET)
12. Psalm 32:8 – I Will Instruct You and Teach You
I will instruct you and teach you about the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
13. James 1:5 – If Any of You Lacks Wisdom
If you need wisdom, ask God, and he will gladly tell you what to do, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
14. Matthew 6:26 – Look at the Birds of the Air
Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds?
Good News Translation (GNT)
15. Proverbs 19:21 – Many Are the Plans in a Person’s Heart
People can make many plans, but only the Lord’s plan will happen.
New Century Version (NCV)
16. 1 Chronicles 28:20 – Be Strong and Courageous and Do the Work
David also told his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He won’t leave you or abandon you until all the work for the service of the Lord’s house is finished.”
International Standard Version (ISV)
17. Deuteronomy 31:8 – The Lord Goes Before You
It is Adonai who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
Tree of Life Version (TLV)
18. Isaiah 41:10 – Do Not Fear, for I Am with You
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Lexham English Bible (LEB)
19. Psalm 23:1 – The Lord Is My Shepherd
Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.
World English Bible (WEB)
20. Colossians 3:23 – Whatever You Do, Work Heartily
And whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.
American Standard Version (ASV)
21. 1 Peter 5:7 – Cast All Your Anxieties on Him
Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you.
Revised Standard Version (RSV)
22. Psalm 138:8 – The Lord Will Fulfill His Purpose for Me
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
New American Bible (NAB)
23. Ephesians 2:10 – We Are His Workmanship
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath prepared before that we should walk in them.
Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB)
24. Haggai 2:4 – Be Strong and Work
Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts.
English Revised Version (ERV)
25. Ecclesiastes 9:10 – Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do
All that thy hand findeth to do, with thy power do, for there is no work, and device, and knowledge, and wisdom in Sheol whither thou art going.
Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)
26. 2 Timothy 1:7 – God Has Not Given Us a Spirit of Fear
For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, and of love, and of sound mind.
Darby Translation (DARBY)
27. Psalm 127:1 – Unless the Lord Builds the House
Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Weymouth New Testament (WNT)
28. Proverbs 16:3 – Commit Your Works to the Lord
Bitake thi werkis to the Lord; and thi thouytis schulen be dressid.
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
29. Isaiah 30:21 – Your Ears Shall Hear a Word Behind You
And when thou turnest to the right hand, and when thou turnest to the left, thine eares shall heare a worde behind thee, saying, This is the way, walke ye in it.
Geneva Bible (GNV)
30. 1 Kings 19:12 – A Still Small Voice
And after the earthquake, fyre: but the Lorde was not in the fyre. And after the fyre, came a styl and soft voyce.
Bishop’s Bible
31. Matthew 19:26 – With God All Things Are Possible
Iesus behelde them, and sayde vnto them: with men this is vnpossible, but with God all thynges are possible.
Tyndale Bible
32. Psalm 37:4 – Delight Yourself in the Lord
Be delighted with the Lord. Then he will give you all your heart’s desires.
The Living Bible (TLB)
33. Romans 12:2 – Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind
Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.
The Passion Translation (TPT)
34. Jeremiah 1:5 – Before I Formed You in the Womb I Knew You
I knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.
The Voice Bible (VOICE)
35. Psalm 31:15 – My Times Are in Your Hands
The times of my life are in your hands. Save me from the hands of my enemies. Save me from those who are chasing me.
New International Reader’s Version (NIrV)
Our Thoughts on What the Bible Says About Career Change at 40
Scripture consistently portrays God as a God of seasons and new beginnings, regardless of our age or stage in life. The Bible is filled with examples of people who experienced major life transitions well into their adult years. Moses didn’t begin his leadership calling until he was 80, Abraham left everything familiar at 75, and many biblical figures found their greatest purpose later in life rather than in their youth.
What’s particularly encouraging is how Scripture presents God’s timing as perfect, even when it doesn’t align with cultural expectations or our own preferred timeline. The Bible suggests that the wisdom, experience, and spiritual maturity that come with age can actually be advantages in pursuing new directions, not obstacles to overcome.
The biblical perspective on career change emphasizes seeking God’s guidance, trusting His provision, and recognizing that our work is ultimately about serving Him and others rather than just personal fulfillment or financial security. Scripture encourages us to view career transitions as opportunities to use our gifts and experiences in new ways, trusting that God can redeem and redirect our professional paths for His purposes and our good, regardless of when the change occurs.
Say This Prayer
Heavenly Father, I stand at what feels like a crossroads in my career, uncertain about the path ahead but sensing You calling me toward something new. The practical side of me worries about financial security, family responsibilities, and starting over at this stage of life. But my heart tells me that You have more for me than just going through the motions for the next twenty years.
Grant me wisdom to discern Your voice from my own desires and fears. Help me to trust Your timing, even when it doesn’t make sense to others or feel safe to me. Give me courage to step out in faith when You make the path clear, and patience to wait when You ask me to stay put a little longer.
I pray for provision during this transition, for open doors that align with Your will, and for peace that surpasses understanding as I navigate uncertainty. Help me to see this potential change not as a midlife crisis, but as a midlife calling. Use the experience and wisdom I’ve gained to serve You and others in new ways.
Lord, my times are in Your hands. Whether You’re calling me to a complete career change or simply a new perspective on my current work, help me to follow You faithfully.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Evang. Anabelle Thompson is the founder of Believers Refuge, a Scripture-based resource that helps Christians to find biblical guidance for life’s challenges.
With over 15 years of ministry experience and a decade of dedicated Bible study, she creates content that connects believers with relevant Scripture for their daily struggles.
Her work has reached over 76,000 monthly readers (which is projected to reach 100,000 readers by the end of 2025) seeking practical faith applications, biblical encouragement, and spiritual guidance rooted in God’s Word.
She writes from personal experience, having walked through seasons of waiting, breakthrough, and spiritual growth that inform her teaching.
Evang. Thompson brings 12 years of active ministry and evangelism experience, along with over 10 years of systematic Bible study and theological research.
As a former small group leader and Sunday school teacher, she has published over 200 biblical resources and devotional studies.
She specializes in applying Scripture to everyday life challenges and regularly studies the original Hebrew and Greek texts for a deeper biblical understanding.