Have you ever wondered what God’s calling you to do in life? Do you hear people talk about being “called” and want to know your God-given purpose? Maybe you wonder whether you are working in the right job, living in the proper city, or pursuing the right path. God does not want us to be confused about this because sometimes, we can become afraid to make any moves as we try to figure out God’s calling. Let’s look into the Word to learn how to know your calling from God for your life.
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As we live this life, we are mindful that God has a plan for us. His divine purpose for our lives was determined before birth (Jeremiah 1:5). God is not random, and Everything He does is perfectly designed.
There is a reason we were born to our parents at the time we were born. God uniquely created each of us, giving us the gifts, talents, and abilities needed to fulfill our purposes. Prayer and Bible study will always lead us toward finding our purpose and God’s calling.
God tells us how He wants us to live in Romans 12. He wants us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to Him, which means we live for Him and are open to His plans. As Christians, when we realize how much God loves us and all He did and wants to still do for us, our response should be, “Here I am, Lord.”.
God’s Ultimate Calling For All Christians Never Changes
God’s ultimate calling for each of us is to bring Him glory. Our purpose is to glorify God (Romans 11:36). Everything was created for God and through God; no matter what we do, we are to bring Him glory. Glory is high honor and distinction by notable achievements in which the Father can take great pride.
The Bible says God has called us to a relationship with Himself through faith in Jesus Christ. The first step in living out God’s calling is to receive salvation and belong to Jesus Christ (Romans 1:6). When we become children of God through salvation, we become individual members of the collective body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27).
God has given us gifts and talents, and He expects us to use those talents as members of the body of Christ for His glory. God gets praise when we use our abilities to help others or offer our gifts in worship to Him. We should never bury or hide our talents, but we must be careful not to be lifted in pride by our skills and abilities.
Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
2 Timothy 1:9 ESV
God’s Calling For All Christians is Not Hidden
God has not hidden our calling and is not waiting for us to find it. He expects us to grow and develop in His Kingdom. We begin our journey as babes in Christ when we ask for forgiveness and accept His gift of salvation. We must start by being faithful, obedient, and patient as we wait for the Lord to exalt us in His perfect timing.
The problem is that sometimes, as believers, we get confused and disheartened. We may feel that we must find God’s calling. God’s calling isn’t lost. Our calling should bring God glory and bring others into the Kingdom. There is a call on our lives; it is not a secret. We should live for God every day. God calls us right where we are when He invites us to become His children.
When we look to the Bible, we find countless examples of those called and used for Kingdom purposes. Names of men and women in the Bible include Moses, Paul, Abraham, Esther, and Mary. These gospel greats were indeed called to do something great for God but were never recorded as searching for God’s calling.
God’s Calling and Job Are Not Synonymous
God may call us to be a light at our job, be an example in the community, or serve others. We must do whatever we do from our hearts as we do for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). We must be faithful (Luke:16:10).
God’s calling and jobs are not synonymous. God’s “calling” may not look like preaching from a stage, writing a bestselling book, or becoming a missionary living abroad. Your calling right now may be to be a good mom, a good wife, a teacher, or a volunteer in your community. Most importantly, we strive to bring God glory while we live each day.
Our life may not feel important enough to our pride and flesh, but remember, God calls us right where we are and changes us from there. We must be careful because the enemy may be trying to get us to move from where God wants us to develop, grow, and bless others. God’s calling is not about making money or a name for yourself but about living for God and blessing others.
The enemy likes to bring confusion and doubt. He wants us to question whether we are on the right path for God. If we mistakenly believe we should have what we think is a more important job for God, we may move prematurely from where God wants us to bring Him glory. We may even find ourselves walking in pride. We must allow God to take the living sacrifice of our lives, use it, and develop us in His timing.
God’s Calling May Not Be Where You Feel Talented
God wants us to stay biblical, which means we should look to the Bible for answers because sometimes ideas sound acceptable to our human minds, but we must look at them from the lens of God’s Word. For example, many recommend inventorying our skills and abilities to decide our purpose and God’s calling.
I have read authors who suggest that our talents and gifts help us to know our calling. The problem is this teaching is not biblical, and nothing in the Bible supports this logic. We can’t assume that God will use us in an area where we seem to have natural ability and talent.
While determining your strengths and talents may help decide a career path or an area of study in college, I do not believe that the Bible encourages us to find God’s calling by looking at our strengths, skills, and abilities. The Bible says the opposite.
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1 Corinthians 1:26 KJV
For most people in the Bible, the Scripture records that they had weaknesses, but God used them anyway. God’s glory reveals itself when what seems impossible becomes possible through faith and obedience in Him. The Bible says that God will use foolish things to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). Your purpose as a believer is to build the Kingdom of God. Your role in His Kingdom will require your natural gifts and talents, but God will develop you and reveal your calling in His timing.
God’s Calling is Fluid For Each Day and Season
God’s calling is not some future event. We must understand that God will develop us, and our calling may differ depending on our seasons of life, readiness to grow, and God’s purpose on Earth. We must be willing to be used as a vessel for the Kingdom of God each day and be ready to change when God leads.
We must stop worrying about “missing” God’s calling because the enemy will try to convince us to work within our strength rather than wait for God’s direction. We must understand that God will not let us miss our calling. If the enemy can cause us to do something prematurely, we may find ourselves frustrated with the outcome, but if we wait on God, He will get the glory, others will be blessed, and our faith will increase.
A Prayer For When You’re Unsure Of God’s Calling
After receiving salvation through Jesus Christ, God calls us to live for Him every day. He wants our lives to bring Him glory as we use our talents and gifts to praise Him and bless others. The easy way to understand God’s calling for our lives is to draw close to God and learn His ways.
We must pray and read His Word to build a stable relationship. We want to know the Lord’s voice and listen daily for instructions He would give us. We must make it through tests and trials as faithful servants and get busy showing the Father’s love to the world around us for God’s glory! Let’s pray and ask God to help us.
Wow! Thank you so much!!
I’m only 25 but know better when I believe in isn’t the way and truth. My church saw my strengths and used them until I was spiritually drained. Hearing you explain God wants to use not our strengths but The opposite of that and everything else you explained just opens my eyes and mind to more understandings to the Bible. Thank you so much!
May God bless you and your family ❤️
-Lauren.
Lauren, thanks for commenting. It means so much to me that the words written were a blessing. No matter what hang on to your love for God. Know that all of God’s people are “works in progress”. Pray and ask God about your destiny, plans and calling. Trust the answer that He gives you. Sometimes God keeps us where we are and sometimes He moves us. We must be obedient at all times and trust His process. God does not want us to spiritually drained. I will lift you up in prayer and pray for those who cause you to feel that way. May God bless you too as you continue to surrender to Him.
Thank you very much for sharing the mighty post.A blessed post really motivational.I loved reading it and felt the blessing of God hence I am trying to share it on my little blog.Take care.🌹👍🙏
Thank you very much for your encouragement. I pray that your blog grows and that you reach a lot of people for the Kingdom. Nothing we do for God is little, God can multiply every effort and I pray He does that for you. Thanks for commenting on my post. Be blessed.