Have you ever wondered, “What is my calling in life?” or “How do I find my purpose?”
Discovering your calling can lead to increased fulfillment, meaning, and direction.
Many people feel stuck trying to uncover their life’s purpose. The good news is that with focused effort, self-reflection, and an openness to guidance, you can determine your calling.
In this blog post, I’ll explore a step-by-step process to help you figure out your giftings and sharpen your sense of what you’re called to accomplish here on earth.
Why Finding Your Calling Matters
Seeking your calling is much more than just deciding on a career path. Discerning the unique contribution only you can make gives shape and meaning to your life.
Here are a few reasons why identifying your purpose is so crucial:
- It provides direction when you’re feeling confused or aimless. Understanding what energizes you helps prioritize where to invest your time and talents.
- It brings fulfillment as you engage in meaningful work aligned with your innate passions and abilities. You’ll experience the satisfaction of operating in your “sweet spot.”
- It enables you to maximize your impact by zeroing in on the causes that most need what you have to offer. Your influence compounds.
- It gives you confidence and motivation during difficult seasons, helping you to persevere when quitting is the easier option. You’ll have the conviction that what you’re doing matters.
Rather than drifting through life passively, knowing your purpose propels you forward with positivity and a vision for the future.
Challenges to Identifying Your Calling
However, finding clarity about your life’s work is rarely straightforward or quick. Most people encounter obstacles like:
- Lack of self-understanding: Not knowing your authentic desires, values, and abilities makes it impossible to recognize aligned opportunities.
- Fear and insecurity: Questions like “What if I fail?” or “What will people think?” can paralyze you from boldly pursuing unconventional callings.
- No idea where to start: With so many options and directions possible, it’s overwhelming to know which paths are worth pursuing to unravel your purpose.
- Impatience with the process: We live in a fast-paced culture that expects instant answers. Slowly cultivating self-awareness and wisdom requires persistence.
Don’t become discouraged if uncovering your calling feels elusive or frustrating at times!
By breaking down the journey into realistic steps and accessing the right support, you’ll gain traction.
I’ll share the method that has helped thousands find clarity and confidence around their life purpose. Let’s explore how to discern your calling!
Step 1: Spend Time in Self-Reflection
King Solomon wisely stated,
“With all your getting, get understanding.”
Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)
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Self-awareness is the cornerstone of determining any calling.
Ask yourself essential questions like:
- What experiences, subjects, and activities enliven and energize me? And which drains me?
- What skills and strengths come most naturally to me? Which are more difficult?
- What values and principles guide my decision-making? What issues spark my passion?
- What problems and needs break my heart for humanity?
- If I had endless freedom and resources, how would I spend my time?
Be ruthlessly honest. There’s no need to self-censor at this stage by thinking about what’s practical or responsible. The goal here is simply to take inventory of your hardwiring.
Don’t hurry this process of looking inward. Give yourself time to tune out distractions and listen to your inner voice.
Creative activities like journaling, photography, poetry, or spending time in nature can help bring to the surface buried perspectives.
Step 2: Seek Other Opinions
The Book of Proverbs explains that there is safety in having many counselors (Proverbs 11:14 NKJV).
“Where there is no counsel, the people fall;
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But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”
After taking time to reflect, start asking those who know you best what they’ve observed about your wiring.
Great people to consult include:
- Parents: They have the longest view of your journey and what captures your interest.
- Teachers and mentors: They will notice abilities you excel at without even trying.
- Friends: Peers recognize social causes you consistently care about.
- Spouse: As your “nearest neighbor,” your husband or wife senses what energizes you.
Be gracious in receiving feedback, even if it surprises you! There are bound to be blind spots in your self-perception.
Hear their thoughts as insight to prayerfully consider rather than facts you must agree with.
Pay special attention to any common threads or consistent themes that emerge from multiple conversations. These may indicate particularly notable aspects of your calling.
Step 3: Experiment with New Activities
Once you’ve spent time looking inward and consulting advisors, proactively try new activities and volunteer work.
- What interests did advisors flag that you’ve never actually attempted hands-on?
- What skills feel dormant that might flourish if practiced?
- What local needs or organizations warm your heart but you’ve failed to engage practically?
Don’t overthink this step! Just start experimenting even if you have no prior experience or natural inclination in an area.
Avoid self-limiting assumptions by staying open and curious.
Pay attention to what activities leave you feeling energized versus those that leave you drained when you invest time in them.
Make note of what skill-building seems effortless rather than painfully laborious.
Step 4: Listen for God’s Still, Small Voice
The books of Psalms and Isaiah both reveal that God guides us with His eyes and counsel, teaching us the way we should choose (Psalm 32:8, Isaiah 30:21).
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”
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Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
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“This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left.
As Christians, we have the invaluable gift of the Holy Spirit’s inner nudging to light our path (Romans 8:14 NIV).
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”
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Throughout each stage of seeking your purpose, continually invite God into the process through prayer.
Ask Him for wisdom and direction. Believe that He cares deeply about this discovery journey and offers ideas way better than your own imagination could conceive.
As you spend dedicated time reading Scripture, speaking openly with God, listening in silence for His whispers, and writing down anything that comes to mind, you’ll notice certain callings, connections, and affirmations arising consistently.
Pay attention to these Spirit-inspired instincts. Though the inward voice of God often seems subtle, its persistence over time speaks volumes.
Step 5: Move Forward in Faith
At a certain point in wrestling with all we’ve covered so far, you’ll begin to sense purposeful traction.
Ideas for investing your time and talents in meaningful ways will resonate with increasing clarity and conviction.
When this happens, boldly take action! Begin developing projects, relationships, skills, and revenue streams aligned with the callings you discern.
Of course, questions and uncertainty won’t disappear overnight. However, as you follow the momentum of inspired ideas, your sense of direction will grow firmer.
Opportunities will continue opening doors while missteps close them, providing further confirmation.
Moving forward before feeling entirely ready requires courage and faith.
Avoid passive analysis without taking action because “faith without works (or action) is dead” (James 2:19-21 NKJV).
“19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?”
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Over time, confirmations will compound one upon another until you suddenly realize, “I’ve found my purpose worth giving my whole heart and life to!”
Then, from a posture of confident rest, you’ll feel empowered to persevere in bringing your God-given dream to glorious reality.
In Closing
I urge you to courageously start navigating this journey. Do not put it off until conditions are perfect. They rarely are.
God will meet you in the effort and reveal His purpose piece-by-piece as you seek first His kingdom (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
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You were uniquely designed by God with very specific gifts to offer the world. As author Frederick Buechner so beautifully said,
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
Frederick Buechner
Identifying that sweet spot will enrich both your life and countless others.
I’m cheering you on as you uncover your irreplaceable role within our vast, vibrant human family!
You have so much to offer that only you can provide in just the way you can. Start living from that powerful truth.
The time is now to know your calling!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What if I try new directions but don’t enjoy them or excel in them?
A. When experimenting with potential callings, don’t place too much weight on initial reactions. Some activities that perfectly fit your giftings still feel uncomfortable when you first start due to unfamiliarity.
Conversely, certain tasks seem exciting at the outset before the novelty wears off.
Make sure to give new pursuits at least 3-6 months before deciding if it does or doesn’t align with your purpose.
Over time, your level of energy, effortless skill development, and passion will reveal whether you’re operating in the “good soil” for your talents.
Q. I worry about giving myself fully to something that ends up failing. How do I combat the fear of making the wrong choice?
A. Walking by faith always involves uncertainty and the risk of disappointment.
However, by avoiding making decisions due to fear of failure you will guarantee regret and lack of fulfillment!
To counter anxiety about making the wrong choice:
- Remember that if a direction ends up not being the best fit, you can gracefully change course. Failure will teach you what is not the right fit.
- Focus on enjoying day-by-day purposeful action rather than demanding guarantees about long-term outcomes.
- Trust God’s unconditional love for you, independent of particular accomplishments.
At the end of life, you’ll regret missed opportunities far more than the risks you took. Have courage!
Q. How can I balance seeking my purpose and meeting practical responsibilities?
A. Navigating responsibilities like financial obligations, family roles, and healthcare needs affects what purposes to pursue.
However, explore your passions in the free time during your daily routine.
For example, you can job hunt or enroll in training programs to advance newly uncovered gifts after the kids go to sleep.
You can brainstorm ministry ideas while commuting. Or you can volunteer once a quarter and offer your unique abilities.
Seeking your purpose doesn’t require dramatics like quitting your job tomorrow without a backup plan.
Take small, sane steps that weave God’s callings into the fabric of practical realities. In time, He’ll guide you in the bigger changes you’ll need to make.
