As devoted Christians we realize that
answering the call of God is of utmost importance. How can we rightly serve God if we do not
know what he is asking of us? We are
aware that God expects us to forgive, to act kindly, to avoid bad behavior, to
be patient and to do our best to avoid falling into sin. But what, specifically, is it in terms of our
careers, family and volunteer work that God is asking of us? For some people, the answer to this question
seems to be dropped in their laps from God himself. Others must work quite hard to figure out
what they are here to do. For those who
are unsure of God’s calling for them, the answer might seem to change
constantly. Others never seem to find
their calling and they remain as confused in mid-life as they were as
teenagers.
While only God knows what he has in
mind for you, and only he will let you know what that calling is in his time,
there are some hints you might be missing.
Why waste another day wondering?
These five ways to find your calling will help you assess whether or not
you are on the right path. They will
also help those of you who are so lost you don’t know where to begin.
What
talents do you have?
There is a strong temptation to enter into
a field that pays well. And there is
nothing wrong with earning a good living, so long as you are responsible and
generous! The problem comes in when we
try to do something we are not very good at because we want the rewards of
having a certain position. The truth is,
God gave you – yes YOU - specific gifts he expects you to use. If you are highly creative and are going for
a degree in accounting you might be off track.
God never gives us a good set of skills he does not intend for us to use
in some positive way. It can take some
research and soul-searching, but somewhere there is a need for your unique
skill set.
What’s
your passion?
This
one is a little trickier because our passions sometimes get in the way of what
we are called to do, especially if we are making something important to us that
is not important to God. For instance,
many people have a passion for the outdoors, the arts, politics and
religion. But there is only so much need
for certain things that many people are passionate about. This does not mean you should not take your
passion into consideration – not by a long shot. What you are passionate about may be your
calling. Read on.
What
makes you want to pursue your passion?
Try
to think like Jesus. When did Jesus put
his own desires and needs before that of his people? He didn’t.
Likewise, if your passion is say, politics, what do you want to do
regarding politics? Run for office? If so, why?
If you long for a political career mainly for the opportunity to control
the lives of others or for the privileges that come with being a politician,
you can safely say you are pursuing the wrong dream. As a Christian, you are to put God first and
others before yourself. That’s quite a
concept in today’s world. And for the
Christian politician, this means you absolutely must do what is right according
to the Constitution because you swear to uphold it. If you want to become a politician because
you want to change people’s lives without their say-so, move on, soldier. The same concept can be applied to any
passion.
How
will I contribute to the lives of others?
You
can help others directly (nurse) or indirectly (engineer), but what you do must
be for the good of others, not only yourself.
While almost any job will cater to some need people have, you must be
able to carry out your duties with a spirit similar to that of Jesus. If you show up for work only for the
paycheck, you are probably in the wrong field.
Moreover, some people find themselves bored during the work day and wind
up wasting a lot of time on social networks.
But you are being paid to work, not to network. How do you think God feels about your goofing
off half the day and getting paid for a full day’s work?
Try
It!
After
thoroughly praying about, thinking about and assessing what your calling might
be, as long as you are painfully honest with yourself – try it! Of course, if you are not good at math but
have always loved the idea of designing fighter planes, your passion might be
ahead of your abilities.
Many
people stress over the fact that they have such a desire to do something, but
not the ability. Don’t worry about
it. Remember, our motives are often
self-serving and not of God, even if we do not always recognize it. If you have an idea to do something that
utilizes your unique talents and passions, and the reason you are passionate
about it is more than self-serving rewards, give it a go. Even if you are initially wrong about the
direction you are taking, God will help you find the right path.
The
main idea is to give of yourself using the talents and skills God has blessed
you with. Remember that you are working
for God above all and others before yourself and you almost can’t go
wrong. If you keep your mind and heart
focused in this way, you will be in constant prayer with God. So evaluate your talents, skills and
passions, then get to work. By actively
seeking the Will of God, he will guide you to where he intends for you to be in
every aspect of your life.
