I’m a millennial. I’m 26 years old. Just a few weeks ago I was asking Sarah what she thought of me being a lawyer. A year or so ago I was seriously thinking about going back to school for a finance degree. I often think about what my mark will be in this world. I often ask God to give me direction on what He wants me to do. I’m still in that stage of life I suppose.
The last two years I spent a significant amount of time teaching at the Center for Global Action, the discipleship school of Adventures in Missions. Every semester I taught on personal giftings and how it related to our individual call that God has for our lives. I must have taught over 100 students who were searching to find what God’s plan for their life was. Most of these students just came off the World Race where they were traveling the world, going to 11 countries in 11 months. Many sign up for this trip expecting that God will show them what they ought to do for the rest of their lives. In fact, probably a good number of you reading this right now are World Racers currently or alumni, and you get what I mean.
What if I told you I know your calling? What if I told you I knew exactly what God has planned for you to do?
When I read God’s word I don’t see much about our individual callings. Of course there are parts that talk about how we are all different and we all have a unique purpose. But I am coming more and more convinced that we have all we need in His word to know what God has called us to do.
I have spent so much time myself asking God, thinking and talking to others, trying to figure out what God has in store for me. I have talked with many others struggling to find out the same thing.
But the reality is this, Jesus gave us plenty to do, and its recorded in the Scriptures! Here is His will for your life:
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)
“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15)
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44)
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.” (Matthew 10:8)
“And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” (Matthew 5:30)
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22)
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, [and] love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31)
There are plenty more verses like these. I want to propose something to you. Forget all that personal calling stuff for a moment. What would it look like to adopt these as the very words of God spoken to you face to face? What if we really grabbed hold of these commandments as our personal mission?
I think starting an orphanage is a noble calling, so is being a pastor of a church, even being a missionary in Cambodia! However, if we don’t have these things above, what do we really have? Afterall, He doesn’t call us to decide the recipe, He just says to be a little bit of salt.
Such wise words, Jordan. God is so good. And so very clear in our calling. I think He doesn’t always mean for us to stop there, but He must be first and foremost and the rest will fall in place…and where He wants us. Love you, Jordan.
“However, if we don’t have these things above, what do we really have? Afterall, He doesn’t call us to decide the recipe, He just says to be a little bit of salt.”
So true! I love your perspective, the truth that the Father reveals to you. Thanks for listening to Him and not hesitating to proclaim His truth!
Amen – we have all been called and commissioned. How we walk that out will vary…
You are right – we make it too complicated. One of the core issues is self-idolatry. We think our lives are so critical and important we need a corresponding calling to validate our worth. Servants and slaves have a very simple calling. Serve the Master – do whatever he says to do.
Of course our lives do have worth – but only as it relates to being worthy to be created and redeemed. We serve and work to cast our crowns at the feet of the One.
Thanks for this reminder – I needed it.
It’s too bad so many of us think our callings are about us. If we thought like this, things would be so much more clear.