For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

We were all created by God for a purpose. Sometimes God will reveal someone’s calling while they’re walking closely with Him, and other times  He will reveal it while they are far from Him. Either way, when God gives someone a divine calling  He expects them to turn and follow fully. Consider the Apostle Paul. He was actively persecuting Christians when God called him. He said yes to God and EVERYTHING about him and his life had to change. He was a new man with the purpose of a life poured out for God.

It’s not about the state you are in when God calls you, it’s about what choice you make next. The disciples did not have to drop their nets and follow Jesus. Matthew did not have to leave his work as a tax collector. Of course, Jesus won’t ask everyone to leave their jobs, but you have to be ready to obey whatever He asks of you if you want to walk in your calling. 

You can receive your calling and never walk in it. This happens all the time. Think about the story of the sower and the seed. Luke 8:14 tells us “And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.” To me, this describes the believer who never fulfills their God given calling. When God called me to be a counselor I only had an AA, had dropped out of college, was insecure and riddled with anxiety, my self-esteem was literally in the garbage, and the thought seemed impossible. I had some tough choices to make. First of all, I felt completely inadequate and didn’t actually believe I could be a counselor. Second of all I HATED school, and the thought of 4 more years of it seemed horrible to me. Finally, I had zero help with college financially and would have to take out loans. I decided that if God called me He would make a way, and He did. He will do the same for you if you choose to obey whatever He is calling you to. 

In this post I will focus specifically on six elements of the lives of those in the Bible who received and walked in divine callings from God. So many people share their deep desire to know God’s purpose for their lives, and struggle, understandably so, in the waiting. Although we cannot force God to reveal our callings in our own timing, we can and absolutely should be living our lives in obedience, ready to answer that call when it comes. 

Number 1: Daily surrender. Be available and willing to do whatever is asked of you. God will ask some difficult things from us, we have to be ready and willing to say yes. In pretty much every Bible story we read people were asked to do scary, overwhelming, uncertain, sometimes downright crazy, risky things. God won’t ask us to do anything that He won’t help us do. Consider Gideon. He was asked to attack a massive army with 300 men. Think about the insanity of this for a minute!? Nobody in their right mind would do this. The only reason Gideon obeyed was because he knew God and he trusted God. He was surrendered. This is why it was Gideon who was called and tasked to do this crazy thing all for God’s glory. He could have said no. God would have asked someone else and Gideon would have missed his calling. 

Surrender includes Involving God in ALL your plans. Big and small. Think of the commonly quoted verse in Proverbs “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” At times we become somewhat numb to verses we’ve heard repeated over and over again. If we really consider what this is saying we wouldn’t hesitate to ask God for His opinion about everything we do. God is telling us that those who acknowledge Him in all their ways will have straight paths. Do we believe what He said? How many times have you felt confused and uncertain about a choice to make? This can be overwhelming and bring on so much anxiety. God is telling us we don’t have to settle for anxious uncertainty. We can bring these concerns and decisions to Him and He will guide us and show us the right way to take. How amazing. I have seen this proven time and time again. Those who walk in their calling understand this, because they wouldn’t succeed without God’s direct and daily involvement. Think of Jesus, our greatest example. He spent so much time in prayer, seeking the Father. We need to do the same. 

Number 2: Daily obedience to God and His Word: as James 1:22 tells us, don’t just be a hearer of the Word, be a doer of the Word. I was reading this morning about one of the early accounts of Peter and Jesus. I’m sure you know the story. Peter had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. Jesus instructs him to go back out to deep waters and cast his net again. The odds of there suddenly being a huge catch worth going back out for was probably next to none. What was Peter’s response? “And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:2). Total obedience even though it made no sense! Why would Peter respond this way? Because he had a surrendered heart and he loved Jesus. He was willing to obey even when it made no sense. This will happen often when you choose a life of surrender and obedience, a life of purpose for the Kingdom. This is why Peter went on to receive a high calling from Jesus. The truth? It doesn’t have to be any different for you and I than it was for Peter. 

David was called a “man after God’s own heart.” Why? Because he would do all of God’s will. Total obedience to whatever God asked of him. And he screwed up big time, let that be an encouragement. But he repented with deep regret and sorrow and chose to live differently. God cares about the life you live on the daily, and this greatly impacts your calling. This does NOT mean you can never mess up or stumble, it means when you do there is sadness and repentance, and a true desire to please God. 

Salvation is not dependent on works, but works surely impact the life you live with Jesus in your day to day. Trust me on that. When the Israelites built their golden calf God was ready to destroy them all. But not Moses? What was different about him? Surrender and obedience. What the Israelites DID impacted their day to day. Moses had the right heart, a heart that pleased God. In Hebrews 11:24-26 we are told that “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” Compromise will directly impact our calling. Understand that this is a process and doesn’t happen overnight. There are things in my life right now I am working on overcoming. This will be the case until we finish the race. But we have to make it our goal to challenge ourselves. As we grow in our relationship with God and our discernment it becomes easier. 

Number 3: Hate what God hates. Proverbs 8:13 says “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” And proverbs 3:7 says “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” This can be a really tough one that needs to be handled in the correct way. It’s hard to give up the ways of the world at times, especially to the level that God asks of us. I’m not talking about not having fun and enjoying life. And I’m not talking about self-righteousness either. I’m talking about hating the things that dishonor God. How can we know what these things are? There are two ways. The first is obvious, look at the commands in the Bible. Some of these things include pride (a big problem with Christian leaders), sexual sin, hatred, jealousy, mistreatment of others, drunkenness (not drinking), filthy joking, lying, selfishness, greed, idolatry (worshiping anything other than God), witchcraft (actual witchcraft, not talking about fantasy movies here), violence, abuse. The second is a bit more difficult. Through our spiritual discernment and conviction. Some things that God hates are black and white in the Bible. It will never be okay for a man to lust after someone who isn’t his wife. It will never be okay for a woman to flirt with a man who isn’t her husband. It will never be okay for a believer to spend their weekends drunk out of their minds. It will never be okay for a group of women to gossip about other women. Why? This is clear in scripture. These are black and white things. 

One big problem that has always existed is legalism. Man made rules that God never put in place, and condemnation of anybody who doesn’t keep them. There have been so many Christian’s who follow all the “rules” yet displease God and are definitely not living in their calling. Their hearts and motives are wrong, they follow man-made doctrines, and they neglect Gods other commands about love, judgment, generosity, kindness, etc.

So what do we do with this? We rely on what is clear in the Bible, and stick to personal convictions from the Holy Spirit on everything else. He may lead me to say no to something that’s okay for you because of how it impacts me, and vice versa. There was a show recently that caused so much fear in my life the Holy Spirit asked me to stop watching it. My husband finished it without me. He wasn’t impacted in the same way I was. I had to obey or suffer more significant consequences. what are some of things that people get legalistic about? Drinking, secular music, rated R movies, movies with magic, shopping at certain stores, tobacco, dancing, how you dress, never missing a church service, never skipping a day of devotions, tattoos, piercings, I’m sure I’m missing a lot. Listen you might be judging me right now, and that’s fine, but the truth is none of these things are considered sin in the Bible. It is not black and white on these things and a person should not be deceived into thinking strict adherence to stuff God never commanded will get you anywhere. Seek the Holy Spirit on these types of things in your personal life and He will clearly direct you. And be sure not to judge others based on things that are not Biblically black and white. 

The closer you are to God the better you will understand and recognize the things He hates. This is how it is in any relationship. How do I know my husband’s dislikes? Because I spend a lot of time with him. I know him. The same is true with God. The Holy Spirit will let you know when you are doing something that God isn’t pleased with, if you let Him. If you aren’t seeking Him and surrendered this becomes more difficult. I would be lying if I told you there haven’t been times I’ve ignore the Holy Spirit and regretted it! This is and will be true for all of us. Our love for God has to outweigh our sinful desires. And if you ask, He will help you and change your heart. This cannot be driven by a desire to be perfect. It has to be motivated simply by a desire to please and honor God. 

On different occasions some of Jesus followers didn’t like what He had to say, so they walked away. Jesus didn’t yell for them to come back and let them know it was okay if they didn’t like what He said, they could still go with Him on His ministry journey. No, He let them walk away. He knew that His ministry was for those who had a surrendered and obedient heart. He allowed Judas to stay because this was part of the bigger plan.

If you discover that you aren’t bothered or convicted by the things that God hates I encourage you to confess this to God and ask Him to change your heart.  

Number 4: Willingness to be labeled “weird” even by other Christians. Consider John the Baptist for a minute. He seemed to be a pretty weird guy. Jesus himself stated in Luke that there was not a greater prophet than John. That is a pretty mighty calling. If you’re not willing to be weird or to feel embarrassed for Jesus then you most likely won’t walk in yours. Why? Because again, God will lead you to do some things that are different, as He did John, things that don’t make sense to others. Maybe you would argue there are many Christian leaders walking in their “calling” who seem really cool and perfectly normal. Is it possible (I can’t say for sure of course) that they aren’t fully obedient and aren’t actually walking in their God given calling? A person can do ministry as a job without Gods anointing and favor. It happens all the time. Don’t be deceived to think that radically following God will allow you to appear totally normal and “cool”. Think about Elijah? He prayed that the rain would stop and it did. For years. Can you imagine how many people were angry with him for that and thought he was crazy? For a modern day example, I also think of Francis Chan. He was really cool! Until God called him to leave his mega church and start the we are church movement. Suddenly he wasn’t so cool to the masses, and was heavily criticized. The same goes for my own pastor who had a similar calling from God to leave his mega church for a home church model.

A friend of mine recently told me God gave her a word for a young man who she hardly knew who wasn’t even a Christian. What did she do? She risked looking weird and told him what God shared with her. It was powerful! What she shared was exactly what this guy needed to hear.

God often asks me to do some things that make me appear weird. Like when I’m sitting with someone and suddenly the Spirit reveals that they are under demonic attack and He wants me to call it out and pray for them. This was EXTREMELY scary in the beginning. I didn’t want to seem weird and embarrass myself. But I obeyed anyway. I’ve seen many people set free, the darkness lifted. God doesn’t actually need any of us either. If I had chosen to say no He would have asked someone else. The same is true for everyone who has received a calling from God. Having a calling doesn’t make you special. It’s all about God anyway. Be willing to lay it all on the line for God and be labeled weird or crazy by others, including Christians. You won’t regret this! 

Number 5: Devoted time in prayer and the presence of God. This one is so important for many reasons. How can we effectively carry out God’s calling in our lives if we’re not in regular communication with Him? Not to mention, when we pray and worship God we experience the manifestation of His presence. He makes himself known. He is always there, but it’s during prayer that we can interact with no distractions. He allows us to feel Him near and gives us wisdom and direction. Nobody had a greater calling than Jesus Himself. And we should follow His example. In Luke 6:12 it says “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” All night. Jesus spent so much time in prayer with God the Father, and we need to do the same. When I neglect this it shows. I’m telling you. When I start my days with prayer, whether at home or at work, everything is different. I feel closer to God, I understand His plans for my day, I see Him work in amazing ways. It’s no different than communicating with your spouse or a close friend. If you neglect this the relationship suffers greatly. So much more when we neglect God. 

Aside from the Bible of course, one of my absolute favorite books about prayer is called Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets. I strongly encourage reading it. I give this book to as many people as I can. Maybe you’re thinking, well can’t I just read the Bible? Of course. This is no replacement. The reason I love it so much is because it is filled with powerful testimonies of the power of prayer that will encourage you and inspire you to pray like you’ve never prayed before. Powerful prayer wasn’t just something for people in Bible times. It is for us today as well! To effectively walk in our callings we absolutely have to make regular prayer a top priority in our lives. 

I remember helping someone who was struggling with significant suicidal thoughts. I tried everything I could to help but it wasn’t working. It was when I began to pray and asked God what to do that everything changed. He revealed what I could have never known on my own, and worked a powerful miracle of healing for this person. This is one of many examples I could share. I know for a fact I would not be fruitful in my calling without prayer. 

Maybe you haven’t received your calling yet because you neglect prayer. If your not involving God in your plans why would He involve you in His? 

Number 6: Be willing and ready to be broken and to face significant suffering. This can be so painful. God will allow us to be broken so He can rebuild us into what He wants us to be. Trust me. I have experienced this, and so has everybody else I know who walks in their calling. This is how our faith is tested and proven. 1 Peter 1:6-7 tells us, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” We all have to be tested by fire for our faith to be proven. And without faith it is impossible to please God. Suffering is inevitable.

What are the dangers of walking in your calling without brokenness and suffering? Pride and arrogance. When you’ve been beat down and broken and then rescued by God, you know nothing good you do is because of you. You know it’s in spite of you. You know it’s ALL because of God. Yes, we are required to work hard, but that only gets you so far. The real kingdom fruit comes solely from God’s supernatural power working in and through you. Without brokenness you will settle for your own accomplishments and believe them to be God’s. Why? Because you won’t be humble enough to allow Him to do His part. Joseph is a great example for us. He suffered immensely for years. Sold to slavery by his own brothers, a slave for another man’s household, falsely accused and imprisoned, and then placed by God to rule a foreign nation. Try to think of this in modern day times. This is so far fetched it’s not funny. Why did God allow this? I believe it was for His glory, and to keep Joseph humble. Joseph knew God was with him. He knew that he had nothing to do with the position he was in, it was ALL because of God. 

Maybe this seems a little extreme, and that’s because it is. Almost every example of an individual who has received a calling from the Lord has chosen to live an extreme life for God.  I believe He has a calling for each of His children, but not all choose to walk in it. This is so sad to me. It’s our choice to make. I heard a powerful quote once that made things so clear for me. Not sure who said this. “Salvation is free. The anointing is costly.” If we want to live a life of purpose, walking in the calling God has for us, we need to be willing to live extreme for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If you feel like this is what you’ve been wanting but you can’t seem to do it, get on your knees before God. Confess your struggle and ask Him to help you. God is faithful, if you diligently seek Him with an honest heart you will find Him.

What if you don’t know your specific calling? Maybe you feel no sense of purpose? This can be so hard! Yet, the answer is simple. First of all, make sure you are following the principles laid out in this post. Live a life of surrender and obedience to The Lord. Follow the commands in God’s Word, turn from patterns of sin, and start including God in all your plans and make prayer an integral part of every day. After all, this in and of itself is our calling as children of God. God has a perfect timing for everything, and He will reveal His specific plans for you when the time is right.