By: Mila Abellera | Outreach Worker in Kingston-Galloway
At one point or another, you have probably asked yourself the question “What is my calling?”. For me, I have spent the majority of my life preoccupied with seeking God’s purpose for my life as I yearned to hear God’s call and to know His specific plans for my life. I knew that I wanted to live this one life I was given to serve God, yet I did not know what that practically looked like as you can literally glorify God in all that you do. John Piper said that “the only way we can make our lives count is by making Christ known”. I yearned for clarity as to how I could make Christ known in my life as I wanted to be a good steward with the gifts He has given me. What I learned over the years was that God does not often give us a map with exact coordinates, but rather a compass to direct our paths as we follow Him faithfully. What is faith? “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
Sometimes I wish that God would show me the plans He has for my life. Yet if God told me explicitly what He wanted me to do in the future would I run the other way like Jonah? Would I let my fears of inadequacy consume me and make excuses like Moses? Or would I serve Him faithfully like Abraham? “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:8-10). The truth is I am not sure what I would do if God told me what I would be doing now. I would have most likely not believed Him or felt inadequately prepared for serving Him in this capacity. Yet that is why we must trust in God’s sovereign will who prepares and refines us through various experiences and reveals new opportunities in His perfect timing.
It is wise to seek God's call and direction for your life in order to serve Him intentionally with this short life we are given. Ephesians 5:15-17 says, "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is." Scripture also assures us that God will make our paths straight if we trust in Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight”.
As you discern your calling here are some helpful questions that you can ask yourself. Do you have the knowledge, skills and competency to fulfill your calling? Are you practicing your calling? Have you spent time in prayer and fasting meditating on the word of God? Is your calling affirmed by fellow believers? Has God provided opportunities and opened doors to serve in this capacity?
It is wise to seek God’s direction in life, yet we must not let fear of the unknown paralyze us from serving God faithfully as God does not expect us to discover our calling before we act. It is only when we step out in faith and obedience are we able to see him at work in our lives after the fact. I learned that I had to seek first the Kingdom of God and then trust that He will take care of our needs before we know what they are and where we are going.
What is my calling? After many years God answered my prayer in which I believe that I am serving God in the right place at the right time for this specific season in life. God has equipped me with various experiences, knowledge, and skills I believe can be used effectively to serve at TCM as an outreach worker. God has also given me the heart to serve Him locally in the Kingston-Galloway community which fellow believers have affirmed.
Through years of discernment, I have found freedom in knowing that God does not expect us to find His specific will for our lives before we do it. What God requires of us is our obedience in faith and trust in His sovereign will and perfect timing. Although we may not know our specific call, we know that God calls us to obey his explicit commands. God left us with commands to follow such as to love your neighbor as yourself and to go and make disciples of all nations. We are blessed to be a blessing in which we have both the privilege and responsibility to share the Gospel with those who have not heard.
Instead of being preoccupied with asking God to show us the future let us be instead confident that He holds the future.