„As a prisoner for the LORD, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.“ - Ephesians 4.1
Welcome to the Called by Mercy blog, friend. This first post is going to be about a topic we hear a lot about in church or on social media: our calling. It seems to me that everyone keeps telling us „God has been calling me to do this“ or „Go follow the calling you have received from God“. But is it that easy? How do I even know what my calling is? And how can I be sure that what I´m doing is God´s will for my life?
Well, it looks like we need to try to define the word „calling“ before we can figure out what it means for us.
In our success-driven society, it´s mostly associated with our profession. When we ask God to reveal His calling to us, we probably want to know what He wants us to do for a living. I think that in the Western World, our job is seen as some kind of identity. More often than not, one of the first things you ask someone when you first meet them is „So what do you do?“
And I do agree that our calling has to do with our profession, but it´s so much more than that. That being said, our identity is not in what we do, but in what Christ has done for us.
For example, I´m a student, singer and writer and serious about pursuing a career in those areas, but that is not my identity. I´m not just a singer and writer, I´m first and foremost a daughter of God.
When we look for our calling,
we have to look for Jesus first.
It´s not a certain title or position or amount of followers that validates us, it´s Christ alone. Our identity in Him equips us to fulfill what He has planned for us.
To clarify what exactly it is we´re called to, let´s read a verse from Paul´s letters:
„To this, you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.“ - 1 Peter 2.21
There you have it. That´s a simple summary of your calling: You´re called to follow Jesus. It´s as simple as that. That is your purpose on earth. But how do you follow Him?
By denying yourself and taking up your cross daily. By loving God with all of your heart and loving and helping others, not just with words, but through your actions. And, of course, by proclaiming the gospel and bringing people to faith. We´re not here to live for ourselves. That would be a waste of time because if we only live for our own glory, nothing of what we achieve will last. In the end, the only fruit we produce that will never fade away is the work we do for the kingdom of God.
If we seek to glorify God in everything we do, everything else will fall into place, too.
Alright, but how exactly will that help you and me to figure out what God wants us to do as a career? What if what we´re doing now isn´t what He wants for us?
First I would say that you don´t have to be a pastor or a missionary to serve God with your job. It´s possible to glorify God in every kind of profession, even if it´s just being kind to your co-workers or telling someone your testimony. So whether you´re a priest, a teacher, an actor or a cleaning lady – God never wastes anything, and I´m sure He will use you at your working place if you´re willing.
On the other hand, I think it´s also important that you do something you find joy in. There´s no point in working in a job you hate all your life. If you love what you do, you´re also more likely to be successful.
But if you´re confused about your calling and trying to figure it out, here are some questions you can meditate on or maybe even journal about.
1) What are my passions? Which activities bring my heart joy?
2) What are my talents? What am I good at and often get compliments about?
3) How can I glorify God and actively love people through what I do or want to do?
4) Am I actually secure in my relationship with Christ or do I seek my validation in other things such as someone else´s approval or the wish for a successful career?
I want you to know that your calling is not some big, flashy wonder you wake up to one day and then have obtained forever. You need to keep pursuing it, cultivating it, walking in it - consistently. It´s a slow, but steady process. And most of the time, it´s not that glamorous and not just about someone else sees of you on social media. It´s about the habits you establish, the work you do, and, most importantly, the work God does in you.
There´s so much more to say about that, which I´ll talk about in future blog posts, but for now, know that it´s absolutely ok to not have everything figured out. I don´t either, but Jesus does. He has a special, beautiful plan for you and me, and it´s our job to surrender to it every day and follow it, one step at a time, even if we make mistakes along the way.
The word „calling“ is pretty complex. It has many different layers and possibilities. And I admit that it can sound a little daunting sometimes.
But if we submit everything we do to Jesus and ultimately seek to glorify Him first, He will guide us right where we need to be.
Thank you for reading and being a part of the Called by Mercy Blog, I´m so happy to be starting this journey with you! Feel free to share any thoughts or questions you might have on this topic in the comments below, and don´t forget to become a member so that we can connect and talk on here! Stay tuned for future content all about faith, stepping into your purpose and finding healing.
Blessings,
Annie xx