This is one of the most asked questions by new believers. Implied in the question is that someone other than yourself will have the answer which, on the contrary, you are the best one to provide. The reason the questioner is unable to come to a clear conclusion and understanding of their calling is that they are asking the question with preconceived notions of the answer. For example, a young believer asked me if I could help her identify her “calling” from God. What she was actually expecting was for me to somehow make up her mind for her and tell her what she was supposed to do as a Christian for the Lord. At the same time, she was worried about the anticipation that I would say something like, “You have been called by God to become a preacher and he wants you to go to Africa, minister to the people in the hottest country, and where there may be much danger.” She stared at me with big doe eyes, as though caught in headlights. I smiled, started helping her to think on her own, and make up her own mind. My journey with her gave me the material for this article.
How can someone come to find their “calling” from God? Well, let’s start at the beginning. No, I don’t mean the book of Genesis, I mean the first step of this journey to an epiphany of understanding regarding the idea of what constitutes a “calling.” The first question which must be answered is, “What do you believe, that is so important, that if you did not believe it our life would not be okay?” This question forces the person beginning on this journey to focus on personal motivation and drive. For example, someone may say that their belief in God is crucial, that if they did not believe in God their life would not be as okay as it is now. If someone were to give that answer, then I would ask them why this is true for them, and in what ways does this belief in God impact the course of their lives. If the person answers that their belief in God brings them an assurance because of the promise of heaven. Then I would ask them if they are convinced that heaven is truly a real place, as such. If they were to answer, Yes.” Then I would ask them if they believed in hell as well. If they say, “No,” I would challenge them to reread the Bible and decide whether they will continue to espouse belief in it (since this is the basis for belief in God with Christians). If they say, “Yes, I believe hell is real,” I would then ask them if they believed that it was okay that some people should end up in that place. Most people find the idea of anyone going to “hell,” as something abhorrent. I once heard someone declare, “I wouldn’t wish hell on my worst enemy.”
Any person who has come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ experienced first-hand His mercy and forgiveness, and through that learned compassion, would not want anyone to go to hell. When I asked the young lady this question, it immediately troubled her, “No, I would not want anyone to go to hell!” Do you truly, believe that hell is a real place? I asked her. She though on the idea for just a moment and answered yes. ‘If there was a way to help as many as people as possible to avoid going to hell,” I asked, “do you believe that someone should at least try?” “Yes!” she answered adamantly. “Should that person be you?” I asked her pointedly.
There are many persons who are aware of things which move them. These things may be something they believe is wrong with the world or life. In other cases, the thing they are aware is something good, but only available to a limited number of people. And in still other cases, the person has some deep-rooted desires for something positive which could be of benefit to themselves and possibly others. In each of these cases, there is one common factor, the desire for action and change. The problem which comes with this is whether that action must come from ourselves.
Churches are full of people who “love” God but will not respond to His calling on their life. Jesus said once, “If you love Me you will obey my commands.” We are called to “go out” and preach to the world. Instead, we change the instruction to “stay inside and help during church services.” We just assume that if God wants people saved, He will get them to come to our church so they can be preached to and converted more easily. With this in mind, we figure that if we help with the ushering, Sunday school classes, play or sing in the church choir or band, greet visitors at the door, and so forth, that we are actually obeying the Lord’s command to “go out.”
While I will admit there are problems and needs within the four walls of the local church, those needs and problems are the responsibility of the staff and leadership. It’s the needs of the people outside of the church walls which were the focus of our Lord. And, not just religious needs like salvation and baptism, but personal and practical needs. What needs? Assistance to those of older age, mental illness, learning disabilities, poverty, physical disabilities, AIDS, the problems of ex-prisoners, homeless people, social relations, failing marriages, issues with the youth, rape, the misuse of drugs and alcohol, and so many more. These needs and problems, unlike those from within the four walls of the church, are the responsibility of all people. Christians should and must accept that responsibility seriously. If we will respond to God’s calling in our lives regarding those concerns, we will begin doing our small part in helping alleviate, reduce, and maybe even resolving or eliminating them.
“But what can I do about it?” the young lady responded in obvious trepidation, “I am only one person. I can’t reach the whole world by myself.” “Is that what God would ask you to do,” I asked, “to do it all by yourself?”
Her fear is one of the main reasons many persons avoid ministry to others. The idea in their head is that God is going to order them to do something hard and difficult. While I cannot argue too much that it will not be hard or difficult, I can state without reservation, that God will help you accomplish what He calls you to do. One of the best examples I can put forth is Joni Eareckson Tada. She is the Founder and CEO of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, is an international advocate for people with disabilities. A diving accident in 1967 left Joni Eareckson, then 17, a quadriplegic in a wheelchair, without the use of her hands. After two years of rehabilitation, she emerged with new skills and a fresh determination to help others in similar situations. Specifically, because of her physical circumstances, she wanted to help others who suffered the same in their lives. She wanted to be the one who would do something about it.
In the seventh year of our marriage, my wife and I were separated and in the process of a divorce. I desperately needed help from someone who knew what they were doing. There were plenty of people who wanted to give me their opinions of what I should do, but there was no one to take the time to get to know me and then “walk along with me” through the process. They all wanted to say words to me, while I, on the other hand, wanted someone to take my hand, as it were, and show me the way by leading me there. God intervened and we did not get divorced. It was this time of ordeal which created in me a desire not to allow other people to go through a difficult time like that without there being someone they could turn to for help. I decided that I should be that person. That is how I came to know my “calling from God.”
Ask yourself some questions, “What have you gone through in your life where you wish someone else had been there to help you through?” “What needs do you see in this world and wish someone would do something about them?” “What bad situations have you noticed, but then ignored, all the while knowing someone should do something about them?” “What need is right there in front of you that you are not paying attention to, which you could do something about?” The answer to any of these is your “calling.” Any person who would consider any of the questions will have something come to mind, this is an inescapable truth, there are so many needs in this life that no one could say they cannot think of anything. Once you have mentioned one or more, you have the basis for your “calling.” Consider the need you have identified. Ask yourself what it is that you can and cannot do about the need. Is it something you can start working on immediately, or will there be a need for training? Can you work on this by yourself, or will you need to get help? Is there already a ministry or organization working on the need? Maybe you can join with them in the effort. Check out the local churches and see if they already have a church ministry working on the same need. They will be excited about getting more help from you.
Getting back to the young believer, I asked her if there had been anything she had been thinking about that seemed very important to her. She said yes, but that it seemed kind of selfish to her. She went on to add that she had lately been feeling a “burden” for her husband. She explained that this meant to her that she was concerned with her husband’s welfare, health, and overall ability to keep being the bread-winner in the home. She said that she and her husband had been talking about future plans and how to achieve them, especially regarding their recently born baby. They had discussed how they wanted to raise the child, and what to do in regards to the baby’s school and church. For example, they want to be able to put the child in a private Christian school and avoid public schools altogether. This, she said, would turn out to be a big burden on them financially. She was concerned for her husband that he would be under greater stress since they had agreed that she would remain a house-wife instead of going to work outside the home. She finished by telling me that her responsibilities at home limited her ability to do things for God, and she did not want to let Him down either.
I thought about all that she had told me and realized her dilemma. I helped her see that ministering to her husband is a “calling” in and of itself as well. The wife, in God’s view,” was to be someone who was to be there to walk with her husband through this life. Her help of him in fulfilling his responsibilities and duties to her and their family was important as well as any other ministry out there. I told her that her support of her husband was consistent with Biblical instruction and that her ministry to her husband was no less important than a pastor’s job, or an evangelist, and so forth. In fact, I stressed to her, the Bible teaches about such a woman in Proverbs 31.
How about you? Are you still a baby Christian who is still learning about the love of Jesus, or have you matured since then? Are you ready to grow up and become a worker for the Lord, and start ministering to someone else? What moves you? What social ills bother you? What is it that is so important to you for which you might even give up your life? What is your “calling?”
Poem – – – – –
An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
all the days of her life.
She looks for wool and flax
and works with her hands in delight.
She is like merchant ships;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises also while it is still night
and gives food to her household
and portions to her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
She senses that her gain is good;
her lamp does not go out at night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
and her hands grasp the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
and she stretches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She makes coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies belts to the tradesmen.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she smiles at the future.
She opens her mouth in wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and bless her;
her husband also,
and he praises her, saying:
“Many daughters have done nobly,
but you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD,
she shall be praised.
Give her the product of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs 31:10-31 (NASB)
