Exploring Your God-Given Calling

by Chelsea Kingston

 

If you’re like most college students, the panicked question “What am I going to do with my life?!” probably seems to find its way into your thoughts about every ten seconds. And in Christian circles, talk of finding one’s “calling” can perpetuate the nagging feeling that you need to figure out what’s next, and quickly.

 

The concept of being “called” is a biblical one. God called the Israelites to be a people set apart unto Him and a light to the nations (Exodus 19–20, Isaiah 60:3). He called the prophets to speak His words to the people (Isaiah 6:8–9, Jeremiah 1:4–9, etc.). And Jesus called the disciples to become “fishers of men,” (Matthew 4:18–22). The Bible refers most often to a general calling each of us has to know God and point others to Him—this is what it means to be “called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

 

The kind of calling we usually mean when we talk about finding what in the world we’re supposed to do with our lives, however, is one the Bible doesn’t spell out quite so implicitly. Instead, we infer the idea of a personal, more specialized calling when we read those familiar words in Jeremiah 29:11: “‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

 

We know that we’re intended for something meaningful. We’ve even sensed that our lives are meant for greatness. But how do we uncover that significance?

 

 

Was it playing with orphans on that missions trip to Guatemala? Or maybe conducting research for the science department last summer? Or do you feel most yourself dancing ballet in front of a large audience? Try to think of the times your heart has felt most enlivened, the times you’ve felt most you. And pay attention to what energizes you during the day.

 

I’ll never forget when, during my sophomore year of college, one of my sorority sisters found me on campus and told me about a difficult decision she had made in order to follow the Lord. My heart soared, and suddenly I realized how much I love discipleship. The thrill of hearing about her choice gave me momentum for days afterward.

 

As you list the things that feel most fulfilling to you, you should start to recognize some common themes.

 

It may sound silly, but sometimes remembering what you wanted to be when you grew up can clue you in to something significant about how you’re wired. Have you always loved numbers? Did you have an early obsession with animals that has endured through the years? Did you thrive on social interaction from a young age? Maybe you have always known you wanted to be a doctor or a teacher or an artist. For many of us, what we want to be when we “grow up” changes several times over the years. But what are the dreams and passions that have always been there?

 

When I was very young, I told people that I wanted to be a big sister when I grew up. As an only child and an extreme extrovert, I had an insatiable desire for relationship. Now I work with high school and college women, and it seems that “sistering” is one of the key components of my job and ministry. That desire to be a big sister was bigger than wanting a baby in the family (although my little sister is awesome!); it is still one of the truest things about me.

 

Would you start a missions organization in Sudan that helps to care for orphans of the genocide? Devote your life to finding a cure for cancer? Counsel families affected by divorce? Start a ministry for Christian actresses? Take some time to really dream about what you most want to do and how you could best use your gifts and talents to impact the kingdom of God.

 

It’s important to note the difference between your calling and the assignments that God gives you along the way. There are seasons for different jobs, education, and ministry. Not all of them will line up with what you think your life is about, and that’s okay.

 

And a word of warning, dear sisters: take care not to base your significance in what you believe is your calling! If you only feel that your life is meaningful when you are getting to do exactly what God has placed on your heart, you will be set up for disappointment and failure. There are times when God removes us from ministry to mature us, and times when He is working behind the scenes to set up our next assignment. If we lose heart during these seasons, we miss the point that being “called” is really about serving Him, wherever He puts us.

 

I love pastor-preacher John Piper’s wisdom in Don’t Waste Your Life, a book he wrote specifically for college students. He advises, “Find the God-honoring, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to live it and speak it, and die for it, and you will make a difference that lasts. You will not waste your life.”