Calling and guidance
Posted on 21 June 2023 by Global Connections
How can I discern what God wants me to do with my life?
Because there is confusing and often contradictory advice about ‘calling’ (and especially the ‘missionary call’), it can seem difficult and overwhelming to find a way through. Some people talk about a deep sense of personal 'call' - perhaps a mystical experience or a 'voice from God'. Others have a very rational, logical approach of gathering information, praying and simply making a decision. And there is everything in between!
So how should we approach this important subject?
Our primary calling
The primary image of calling in the Bible is the calling to follow Jesus. Living out our personal gifts and abilities in such a way that God is glorified (our vocation) is secondary to that. Our jobs are not necessarily the most important aspect of our calling or our service in Christ’s work in our lives.
3 things your calling is not
Your 'calling' is not for you, your 'calling' is not from you, your 'calling' is not future tense. There’s nothing wrong with godly ambition or planning for the future. But in all this, make sure the emphasis is on faithfully serving the Lord where he’s placed you - until he makes it clear that he is calling you to something else.
3 things your calling is
If you are a Christian you are called to take up your cross and to follow Jesus, to play an active part in the life of the church, and to make disciples wherever you are. It doesn’t really matter whether you do these things in Keswick or in Kazakhstan. The important thing is that you are being faithful to Christ in these basic ways; everything else is just details.
We are all different
Because we are all different God often works in different ways in our lives. A few really will have some kind of 'personalised call', others see it as a matter of simple obedience, others tend towards an honest evaluation of key factors, and a few find that a radical obedience to Christ means a willingness to do anything and go anywhere.
Stop chasing your vocation
The consideration of 'calling' in terms of the work that we do, is often done from a position of privilege. Most people in the world do not have the luxury of choice. "The key to living vocationally – that is, being 'God-called' and Spirit-anointed – isn't getting the right job or career but doing kingwork in whatever circumstances we find ourselves."
Involve others
God's 'call' and guidance is not discovered in a vacuum. Seek wisdom and advice from others who know you well, particularly those whom God has given responsibility for your spiritual life - your local church leaders. Discernment is corporate, and it should not be something you seek to do on our own.
God is far more concerned with how we work — with faith, hope, and love —
than with what career we have.
Tim Keller suggests a 3-point approach
We can discern God’s 'calling' when three factors come together for us:
- Affinity: What human needs do I ‘vibrate’ to? What interests me? What are my passions?
- Ability: What am I good at? What do other people say I am effective in?
- Opportunity: What doors for service are open? What needs to be done?
Download Tim Keller's article.
Clarifying the Call
Clarifying the Call by Christopher Ash answers the question How do I know that Christ has called me to "prayer and the ministry of the word"?
The most important principle to bear in mind is stewardship. Rather than asking what we want, we need to ask what gifts we have been given. So the question is not, ‘How do I discern whether I am called?' but rather ‘How may I discern what gifts have I been given?':
- Try it and others will tell you
- Church leaders will tell you
- Conclusion: you are free to decide!
What we are before God is infinitely more important than what we do.
Different ways for different people
Bill Taylor encourages us to consider the different ways that God leads different people:
- Path 1: A few people really will have some kind of 'personalised call', vision, powerful encounter, or voice from the Lord.
- Path 2: Other friends tell me theirs is not a matter of a 'personalised call' to missions. It's more a matter of obedience to God.
- Path 3: Still others find that they end up in missions after a serious evaluation of prime factors: deep commitment and obedience to Christ, plus a personal assessment of interests, gifts, experience, and dreams, combined with a heart of compassion for those who are lost or living in poverty, and an opportunity to serve and to make a difference in the world. These all converge to form a path into missions.
- Path 4: Some report that the prime factors leading them into missions were rather simple: radical obedience to Christ which meant a willingness to do anything, go anywhere and pay any price, plus identification of their gifts and others' needs.
Blogs, books, articles, and other resources
- How Martin Luther transformed work - "with few exceptions, all vocations were a calling from God". A helpful blog post from Intersect.
- Common Sense and the Will of God - "Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that God’s guidance will normally be through something spectacular or unique. Usually he guides us by simply letting us use our heads. The choice that makes sense is often the one God would have us do." A very helpful blog post by Bruce Waltke.
- Calling & Vocation: Overview – a longer article from Theology of Work Project looking at issues such as types of God’s 'calling', discerning God’s guidance to a particular kind of work, the needs of the world, your skills and gifts, your truest desires and more.
- The Call - an excellent short book by Trevor Archer and Paul Mallard giving wise, biblical and practical advice to those considering full-time Christian ministry.
- Just Do Something - a short book by Kevin DeYoung offering "a liberating approach to finding God's will."
Are there other resources or guidance you would like to see added to our website? Let us know.
