Am I called? How to Recognize God's Calling on Your LifeLord's Library

Lord’s Library contributor Irene Joshua offers a commentary on how to recognize God’s calling on your life.

Every born-again believer in Christ has a unique calling in their life. But we recognize and respond to God’s calling during a particular life stage. Some of us have a specific calling, like a pastor, teacher, or trained evangelist. Others recognize it with the skills and talent God has blessed them with, such as music, writing, administration, leading, serving a community, etc.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20: “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

Nevertheless, He is more interested in shaping us as His people to carry on His mission. Sometimes, we all need an overhaul, like a change in perspective, attitude, and behavior.

How to Recognize God’s Calling

2 Corinthians 4:7: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, the Lord and our Master, actively shapes us for His purpose. He prepares us and uses us for His glory. Our calling is not based on our qualifications. He calls the unqualified and prepares each one of us to carry on our God-given purpose. Simon Peter was an unschooled fisherman.

We are never perfect to become completely qualified to fulfill our calling. Peter was short-tempered and fickle, Thomas was skeptical, and James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were called the “sons of thunder.” We keep learning from others, from our mistakes or shortcomings, and change for good. Surely, we progress as Christians, always learning, becoming adaptable to the Holy Spirit’s still, small voice and correction, yielding, surrendering, and humbly walking with the Lord.

So how do we recognize our call? How do we know our God-given purpose for our lives?

Jesus reveals this purpose. If you look back on instances in your life, you may remember instances when God would have used you without you realizing it in the moment.

Perhaps God used you to pray for someone’s healing, and God heard your prayer, and the person got healed. Or you spoke words of encouragement to someone who is suffering from depression in their life, and they felt a jolt of hope and changed their perspective for their future. Perhaps God used you to console someone going through a loss or a down phase. Or perhaps someone saw Jesus through you because otherwise, they might not have known.

We are all ambassadors of Christ. God desires to use His children for His glory and make their lives meaningful on this earth. As an ambassador of Christ and servants of God, sometimes we really thirst to serve Him, but we may not know exactly how.

If you feel this way, pray and ask God to show you His way. He eagerly waits for you to respond to your calling. He waits for you to become hungry and thirsty to serve Him. He waits for you to seek His kingdom, righteousness, and God-given purpose, see Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

More importantly, we need to realize that the kingdom of God is within us.

Luke 17:20-21: “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

We cannot become ambassadors for Christ without the kingdom of God being built within us. The Word of God says in Romans 14:17: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

The above verse infers that no matter what kind of occupation we do and what goals we may have, our main motto is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (being in the center of God’s Will) and not living a life to fulfill worldly pleasures and pursuits.

Remember, Jesus came in search of Peter, reminding him of His God-given purpose. Though Peter returned to his work of being a fisherman following His resurrection, Jesus kept reminding him of God’s divine purpose. See John 21:15-17: “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

The Trinity is always at work in the lives of the believers. God knows the time to use us. He works on us all the time. He prepares us. He knows when we will respond to His call wholeheartedly. He is a loving Father more than anything else. God delights in His children and desires to save the world through them.

Amen.

Lord's Library participates in affiliate programs. We may make a small commission from products purchased through this resource.

Author
Recent Posts

Irene Joshua

Irene is a freelance writer. She writes fiction, nonfiction, articles, essays, eBooks, blogs, white papers, and academic/research papers. As a born-again believer, her passion is to serve the Lord in different ways as He leads.