A church member will ask the deacons how to begin searching for his calling. Here is practical advice…
When learning about your calling, it’s important to always start with the definition of the calling: The most important thing that you can do for the kingdom of God in which you would be most difficult to replace.
Dr. Gary North, a modern innovator of the ancient concept of the Christian calling, offered ways to identify your calling.
Your job supports your calling. But what is your calling? What is the most important thing in your life in which you would be most difficult to replace?
Regarding your funeral, would it please you if you knew on your deathbed that the main speaker planned to focus on how you made a living? No? Then what would you prefer that he focus on? When you identify that topic, you are getting close to your answer: “What is my calling in life?”
A fruitful exercise for identifying your calling is exactly what he suggests: imagine your funeral. Imagine a person giving your eulogy to everyone in attendance. What do you want that person to say about you? It is unlikely that a person will want to be remembered for his job. It is more likely he will want to be remembered for other qualities and accomplishments in his life that are unrelated to his job.
Another thing to consider: who do you want to be there in attendance at your funeral, and why?
This exercise is one way to start identifying your calling.
The calling should be motivation for a person to want to achieve more in life. Our callings are funded by our jobs, in most cases. If you do better on the job, you can gain greater wealth which you can use to fund and extend your calling.
A person’s calling is an aspect of seeking God’s kingdom (Mat. 6:33). This is what he is called to do on earth on God’s behalf. His calling is how he expands God’s kingdom in the way in which God has ordained. Dr. North suggests three questions that a person should ponder. Once they get the answers to these three questions, they will have identified their calling:
There are three questions that you must get answered.
“What do I want to achieve?”
“How soon do I want to achieve it?”
“How much am I willing to pay?”
Finally, he offers additional steps for a person to take to identify their calling:
Identify your calling, in contrast to your occupation. What is it that you want most to leave behind? What do you want to be remembered for? By whom? For how long?
Why should anyone remember your legacy? If you don’t know, you may not have one clearly in mind. Get it clear in your mind.
Write down a full description of the legacy you want to leave behind. Be as detailed as possible.
Then write down why you think you are uniquely able to produce such a legacy. Be as detailed as possible.
Finally, review your monthly budget. How much money have you devoted to pursuing your calling?
To read more practical advice on identifying your calling, click to read this article: Your Calling in Life.
CONCLUSION
I will add another helpful suggestion: pray.
Pray daily. Ask God to reveal your calling to you. This is good advice that Dr. North also offers. If you said this prayer every day for a year, do you think God would not answer it?
Identifying your calling may not be easy. For most people, it probably won’t be. Some will figure this out a lot sooner and with greater clarity than others.
This is ok. Keep praying. Do the exercises. God will not let you down.