Clarify Your Calling – Week 2
Welcome to Week 2 of Clarify Your Calling!
Have you ever felt like God is telling you to do something big for Him, yet you feel unqualified and inadequate to complete the task?
As I struggle with my own call as a writer, I often think, “I’m not cut out for this”.
If I had a degree in journalism, knew every grammar rule including the ones that I can’t pronounce, and could throw together a piece of writing without dependence on God’s strength, wisdom, and clarity, I would be doing everything in my own power.
Without God, it’s not a call, it’s a cultivated craft of man.
If we are looking for clarity in our calling, the first thing we need to do is ask God for His direction.
I’ve often heard the advice that you should do what you are passionate about, but I think I disagree. Passion can be misleading. I’m passionate about a lot of things. My personality type is to dive in and do things with all my might. My heart thuds valiantly to do something and do it well. One of my life-long passions is volleyball – particularly coaching.
I could easily get myself a job as a volleyball coach. With five years of experience, I could step out on a court and help a team reach their potential and I would pour my passion into every moment. But for this season, that thing I’m super passionate about isn’t my calling. It’s not what God has called me to do even though my heart bursts within my chest at the thought of teaching a teenage girl how to control the ball and perform to her best ability.
Before you embrace the thing where your passion bleeds, ask God for His direction.
Don’t pursue your passion, pursue God’s plan.
How do I know God’s plan?
1. Seek Him Daily
As you struggle with what to do, where to go, how long to stay, when to make a change, or how much time to give to whatever it is that fills your day, fervently seek God.
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13(ESV)
2. Serve Him Faithfully
This doesn’t mean you are at the church every waking moment fulfilling acts of service that take up every moment of your life (unless God is calling you to that). But the service I am speaking of is heart service. It’s a daily surrender that can only be acted on in complete release of the will and desires of man. It’s giving up the thing you want to hold onto and allowing God to place something different into your hands. It’s letting go of the turmoil that you rehash day after day and embracing the peace that only God gives. It’s removing things that cloud your view of God and keep you from spending undivided time with Him. It’s living a life devoted to Him in every moment. There’s so many things that fill up our lives each day that have nothing to do with Him. Faithfully serving means your day is filled with His stuff.
It’s letting go of good things to make way for greater things – God things.
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psalm 1:1-2(KJV)
3. Surrender to Him Expectantly
God promises to direct His children. We know this is true. However, there are plenty of people in the world who go to church, put in their time and wonder why God isn’t showing them the way to go. It’s not about doing this, so God will do that. It’s about surrendering to His way. Sometimes that means doing things even when we don’t feel like we are the best person for the job.
When God calls you, His call qualifies you even if your skill set is lacking.
But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” Exodus 4:10-12(ESV)
Step 1 to Clarify Your Calling: “Don’t pursue your passion, pursue God’s plan.”
Dear Heavenly Father,
Guide us, Oh Lord, as we seek your purpose. Show us where to step and where to step back. Give us wisdom to know when you are calling and discernment to know how to stop feeding our passions and start pursuing your purpose.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
Love & Blessings,
Micah
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic! And as always, share this with someone you love!