H ow can you know what God is calling you for? What ministry or work does He have in mind for you? Here are 4 ways to find your calling.
Your Deepest Desire
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When I was young, I was fascinated by the weather, and so my first passion in life was to be a meteorologist. I was the neighborhood “weatherman” because when it looked like the clouds (especially the cumulonimbus) began to tower up into the sky I would warn the neighbors that we might get a thunderstorm. I’d use background images to check the direction of the storm and then estimate how fast it was moving. I still love the rain, but my passion changed when God’s Spirit changed me as He does every person who has trusted in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Suddenly, my desire wasn’t to be a meteorologist but an evangelist because I had the greatest news anyone could ever have. In time, God led me to a small church where I was able to meet my greatest and deepest desire, and even though I’m not exactly an evangelist, I do share the good news with the lost. It wasn’t that I found my deepest desire by myself; God gave me a new heart, and I had a new desire given by Him (Psalm 37:4).
Your Greatest Skill
I found out in high school that I could type really fast. Maybe I had the long fingers and dexterity for it, but when my teacher saw that I could type over one hundred words a minute, he told me that maybe I should think about writing. That’s when I joined the staff of the school paper. Many years later in college, a professor teaching fine arts told me that I had a gift for writing. I had never been told that before, but it had a profound impact upon my life. That shows you that words matter, but here was an art teacher telling me I had a gift for writing. I might expect that from my English teacher, but from an art teacher!? It came from the last person I’d expected, but that’s how God works. Today, when I write, I feel like the runner on Chariots of Fire; I can feel God’s pleasure when I write. God showed me through the encouragement of others that I had a gift for writing and typing. Of course, it’s not perfect, but I do love to write about the things of God. God brought me to an awareness of a gift that He had given me.
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Your Deepest Longing
Sometimes, after I’ve done my shopping and I’m sitting in a store parking lot, I see people walk by and ask myself, “I wonder if they’re saved? Maybe I should get out of the car and hand them a Bible track.” I believe God places things like that on our heart through His Spirit, and today, I can honestly say, I have a deep longing for the lost than ever before that they be saved. I so desire and pray for divine appointments every day. That longing compels me to go into the prisons and preach the gospel. It also drives me to start a conversation with a stranger while we both wait in line. I may never get a second chance with this person, so I try to be bold in sharing my faith. Is one of your deepest longings to see your family members saved, to see your friends to know Christ, and for your co-workers to trust in Him? I think that should be on all of our hearts, regardless of our calling in life. The word “vocation” that is used in the New Testament means “calling,” so everyone has a calling (at work, for example). It just looks different for everyone. Our calling may not be our neighbors, but everyone is called to share Christ.
Your Open Door
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Finally, you can determine what God has called you to by doors that seem to open automatically. This has happened twice in my life. Once when an elderly church member broke her hip and had to be moved to a nursing home, she couldn’t come to church, so we brought the church to her! When shut-ins can’t come to church, we bring the church to them. That includes prisoners, nursing home residents, and other shut-ins. Later, I started writing to a death row inmate through a church’s request for pen pals for inmates. I had no idea I was writing to a death row inmate, but when he told me he was sitting on death row, I told him that we were all on death row until Christ died for us. We all deserved God’s wrath, but Jesus took God’s wrath upon Himself to spare those who would trust in Him, and it didn’t matter if it was a death row inmate or not. The thief on the cross was certainly on death row, but it wasn’t too late for Him to believe in Christ as Jesus promised him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Later, I began writing other prisoners closer to home, but some thousands of miles 2,000 miles away. Now I get to visit prisons and preach the gospel and do Bible studies with the inmates. Recently, 5 men were baptized! These two doors (a nursing home ministry and a prison ministry) were opened by God Himself. I’m not able to open doors like that! I found that the keys to the kingdom also fit prison doors, but these are Christ’s keys which open doors, not mine. I feel called to serve these men. Clearly, it is all God, as the psalmist wrote, “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory” (Psalm 115:1a).
Called to Glorify God
Most people may be surprised to read that God created us for many purposes, and one of the chief purposes is to glorify God. We can glorify God in our speech, in our bodies, and in our life before others. Ever get in trouble? Guess what? God says you can “call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). How so? Because we pray in Jesus’ name and answered prayer glorifies His name because we pray in His name, and the Father deeply desires to glorify the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. The psalmist is clear that it is “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness” (Psalm 115:10! Not only are we to glorify God, so is the creation. The psalmist tells us that “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). Since the heavens declare the glory of God, then we can do nothing less. Besides, we are also part of His creation, so we should also seek to glorify God. That is one of our greatest purposes.
[4]You can be the hands and feet of Jesus to them by serving them at a local kitchen or shelter.
To Bring Good News
When Jesus was about to return to the Father and sit as His right hand, He gave the disciples their marching orders. It was an imperative command that would be given by a general in the army. Jesus commanded them to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19-20). Jesus had already told them that “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt 28:18), so they had no choice but to obey, and I believe neither do we. He has the authority to go into all the world, and now they did, but we also have that same authority…even if it’s next door. Whatever the case or wherever we are, we are never off duty. We should feel compelled to be used by God to save as many as He would call (Isaiah 6:8).
Summary
[5]I cannot tell you precisely what God has called you to do, but most people seem to know it in their hearts because they have a deep and overriding desire to do something; they also may have had others tell them they’re gifted in certain areas, or they may tell you that you have a great gift in some area. Hopefully they see that you have a great longing to see souls saved; and they find that when God has called them to something, sometimes the doors already been opened. For sure, we’re all called to share Christ and to serve Him (Matt 25:35-36; 28:19-20). That much I know. Wait on God’s timing. If a door doesn’t open, don’t try the window. Don’t know your calling yet? Just jump into the next opportunity to serve. Ninety percent of serving is just showing up, so it’s not really ability…but availability.
Conclusion
I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.
Here is some related reading for you: What Was God’s Purpose for Calling You? [6]
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.