Is the Call of God on Your Life Clear?
The call of God seems to play hide and seek with certain people. For some, you don’t know your calling but everyone else does. Maybe you question whether God really asks people to do specific things. You might be more inclined to believe that people fall into their calling rather than follow a predetermined course.
What if you believed this?
John 15:16 – You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
Would those words from Jesus convince you that God’s calling is real and the results favorable? Maybe another injection of truth might help.
Romans 12:2 – And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
According to that scripture, that means you would need to change your mind to find the call of God on your life. If that’s what God requires to find his will, are you all in? Then, how do you fulfill God’s calling?
The Call of God: Follow A Recipe
- Look for patterns: I’m amazed when others see traits in me that I miss. We all have spiritual gifts God placed inside us. You may be an encourager, love serving others, or excel in leadership. You could be called to one or all positions in the five-fold ministry: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. Listen for comments from others about your calling. They may say that you can communicate the Word of God clearly (teacher) or that you’re always concerned for the welfare of people in third-world countries (missionary). If you love children, being a Christian Mom is one of the highest honors. From that experience, God could prompt you to open a daycare center.
- Understand what calling means: You’re fully alive in Christ and know God has a purpose for you to transform the world. Calling happens when the joy inside you intersects with meeting a need. A job isn’t a calling but it can be a way to achieve the call of God. You can also fulfill your calling through hobbies or projects you complete where you live or in the church.
- Decide what hinders your calling: Personal dreams get in the way of the call of God when you can’t separate the two. Growing up I wanted to be a jockey, artist, writer, and singer. Writing won out. My Kingdom calling is to stay close to God so I can help explain scripture so others grow in faith. I’ve spent decades studying scripture and discerning God’s voice over other voices that compete.
- Accept your universal calling: Every Christian is called to bring people to Christ. When you follow Jesus, it’s normal to want others to follow suit because He took you from darkness to light. Souls are heavy on God’s heart which means you probably have the same compassion and desire He has for people. If not, cultivating your call to share the Gospel lays the foundation to find the specific call of God on your life.
The Call of God: Seek After Him
Christians can miss God because it’s easy to do. With distractions swirling around you, there are so many things that vie for your attention. To be sure of God’s will for you, these types of confirmations normally happen.
- You have an impression from God to go in a certain direction. He’s your moral compass when figuring out His call for you. He may want you to use your carpentry skills, your ability to organize, or your thorough understanding of finances to help complete Christian projects.
- Circumstances may suddenly line up to match the call of God.
- You may continually have intense feelings that you can’t deny are from God. They keep returning. The Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance your desire on how you want to serve God. You won’t feel settled (happy) until you fulfill your calling.
- Scripture confirms what you already know about your calling. Other Christians may also affirm your calling. They may say you’re suited as a pastor, to lead Bible studies, or use your computer programming skills to build a Christian app.
- An important component to find God’s calling is to pray and seek Him for answers. Along with other ways just mentioned, praying continually develops wisdom to make the right decision. Jeremiah 29:11-13 – For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you. Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
The Call of God: Obey
You may instinctively know the call of God but you aren’t willing to make sacrifices and surrender your will to God. Unhappy Christians never follow through with what they know God wants them to do.
Just remember, plenty of Biblical characters resisted their calling: Moses, Jonah, and Peter, to name a few. However, they didn’t stay in the resistance stage. They eventually moved forward and accepted the call of God. After a while, you give up fighting God and actively pursue His dreams for you.
Then, God opens doors so people partner with you which can lead to whole communities getting on board with God’s plan. He can put a small idea into a willing person to make great things happen. So don’t worry about how it’s all going to work out. His presence and power are readily available to match your passion.
Keep in mind, as you glorify God and bear fruit, He may change your calling along the way. That keeps you on our toes and stretches your faith and you understand God’s clear call on your life.