I have felt confident that I’m following Christ’s call for my life for about 6 years now. Christ Church is almost 10 years old. So, you can do the math. The truth is that certainty of a call always and only comes after heeding the call. “It’s along the road of service that we arrive at our calling.” Here is how to take a few first steps. 1. Pray!
God has a unique calling for you as a believer. it is a calling that is shared with no other human. In fact, he has a calling for you in every station of your life: home, church, and society. In fact, he has a unique set of good works just for you to accomplish. (Eph 2:10) But how do we find our calling when His ways are not our ways and his thoughts not our thoughts? How do we follow his calling when it requires that we bear a cross of discomfort? How do we follow his calling when it demands the development of habits we don’t yet possess? When it requires a stamina we cannot ever match? When it demands we make hard decisions and difficult sacrifices?
That’s just the thing with God’s calling on your life. It’s never going to be comfortable. It’s always going to be just out of reach of your human capabilities. It will always cultivate in you a deep sense of dependency. So, do just that: depend on Him in prayer. Pray to find your calling in every station of life. Pray to discover what he would have you to do with your life. Ask him for a twenty year vision and a short term goal to carry it out. Ask him for clarity. Ask him for strength. Ask Him!
2. Talk to a Leader
When I look back over my life I remember a pivotal moment that lead me to my calling today. I received a call from my old high school principle. He was hoping I would be interested in teaching a junior high Earth Science class. I am so thankful that he took a chance on a rookie. I am so grateful he encouraged me and guided me along the way. Before that I would never have even remotely considered teaching as a calling. But I was called on none other than a land line.
You see, God uses parents, friends, pastors and ministry leaders to help guide you into your calling. They can observe, offer opinions and affirm you in the ways that you seem to be gifted. They are of course fallible humans but the Bible is filled with examples of men and women entering their callings upon the advice of a leader. Think Esther, David, and all of the Disciples.
Now, of course you may not absolutely love your first place of service. But, prove faithful and able in the shallow end and God will lead you deeper. (Luke 16:10).
3. Look for a Need
There are needs that are not yet being met in church, home & society. In a particular church setting, there are going to be genuine needs that none of the church ministries are designed to meet. For example, we do not have a ministry designed specifically for facility maintenance and care though this is a perennial need. In society there are millions of needs that go unmet every day. The point is that its easy to spot a need. Its easy to talk about the various needs and why they aren’t being met or how they could be met. What is needed however are leaders willing to step up and meet the need. What is needed are leaders who reject fear and refuse to say, “That’s not my job!” “I could, if they would support me.” “I would, but I’m sure there are people better for it than I.” What is needed are leaders willing to take a risk, spend the capitol and initiate change.
It is along the road of humble service that we arrive at our calling.
So, when trying to figure out how God would have you to help out try these three things first. Pray, ask a leader and look around for needs. Take the initiative to effectively meet those needs. Who knows? Perhaps you will discover a gift that you never knew you had. Perhaps, along the road of humble service you will arrive at your calling.
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