Finding Your Calling From God: A Surprising Truth You Need to Know

The dusky light of summer’s slow fade into autumn makes its way through partially drawn curtains, and I read until the darkness is too thick to see the words.  I’ve been reading about finding your calling from God, and I’m feeling encouraged.

I gaze at the tiny boy in my arms.  He seems to encompass most of my time in this season, and most of the time, I am embracing the calling as his mom.

Tonight, he is restless in my arms.  I’ve tried to put him into his bed three times.  Slowly removing my hand from beneath his fuzzy head one fraction of an inch at a time, his little eyes open wide the instant my index finger ceases to touch him.

Maybe I could learn something from this boy who can’t stand to be outside the grip of grace.

Maybe I should become a little more attentive to the Father’s touch on my life, jolting up wide-eyed in awareness the instant I move away from the guidance of his gentle right hand.

For the fifth time, I lift the little one from his bed and return to my vigil by the window.  I remind myself that this is my calling in life for this season.

I’d like to be sleeping so that I have the energy to get to the other work of my life when morning dawns, but I remind myself that for now, this is the work to which I am called.

Finding Your Calling From God

This is the work of nurturing little souls throughout all hours of the day and night.

This is the work of caring for basic needs, feeding little mouths, and rocking little bodies until sleep finally comes.  And it is holy work.

Not long ago, a friend reminded me of the way we often associate the holiest moments of encountering God’s presence with silence, solitude, and peace.  We think of coffee on seashores, sunsets over rolling fields, and serene moments along lake-sides with open Bibles and worshipful hearts.

These moments are certainly holy.  God’s presence often feels palpable in these places.

But God’s presence is just as real and his holiness is just as near when we are splashing in those not-so-serene waters with our children, breaking up arguments, correcting them about keeping their hands to themselves, and managing the chaos of our everyday lives.

I ponder it all as I ponder the idea of finding your calling from God.

Most of us assume that a calling is all about what we are doing.

We speak of the holy calling of motherhood,

the calling to minister to others,

the calling of career,

and the calling of friendship.

These callings focus on what we are “doing.”

Redefining Your Calling

But we’re missing the primary truth about our callings.  Ruth Haley Barton reminds us of this truth: Calling is first of all about who we are, not what we do.

Calling is first of all about who we are, not what we do. Ruth Haley Barton #calling #identityinChrist Click To Tweet

When I first encountered Ruth’s words, they shocked me.  I thought she was wrong.

However, digging a little deeper, I realized that she was speaking Truth.

Before you are called to be a mother, a nurse, a wife, a Sunday school teacher, an evangelist, or anything else, you are called to be the beloved of Christ.  Quite literally, Jesus calls you beloved, and this is your primary calling.

When you realize that you are precious, cherished, and chosen, you are free to drift in and out of life’s various assignments without using those assignments to determine your worth or your identity.

When you realize that above all else, you are beloved, you can survive the catastrophic loss of a ministry, a mission field, a dream, or a career.

Remember Your Primary Calling

And so, before you decide that your calling isn’t what you hoped it would be, before you define yourself by the way you spend your time, remember your primary calling.

Remember that you are a beloved child who is so cherished that you were bought for a price.  You are so precious to your Father that he gave the life of his Son so that you could have life.  Nothing can take his love away from you.  He will never abandon you.  You are God’s beloved child, and this is your first and highest calling.

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I consider these truths as the little one finally settles into deep sleep.  His jaw is agape as the humid night air wafts through the open window.  I place him gently in his bed, and this time, he doesn’t stir.  He rests, just as he is, and I embrace the opportunity to do the same.

A Free Devotional Book to Help You With Finding Your Calling From God:

Lastly, we uncover our callings as we spend time with the Lord.  I have a gift for you today: my free 31-day devotional Mornings With Jesus.  Mornings With Jesus is not your average daily devotional—it is so much more!  This devotional is unique because, in addition to daily readings and reflection questions, it also offers a special section at the end of each post called “Your Invitation to Encounter God and Begin Well.”  These exercises will help you actually encounter the Living God during your quiet time.  They are a pathway to life-changing spiritual growth.  My mission is to help others encounter God in ways that change their lives.  Instead of asking $9.99, I’m offering this devotional for free with promo code JESUS for a limited time right here.

Attention, all moms and daughters!

Lastly, in addition to writing to adults, I am also passionate about ministering to the next generation.

My 12-year-old daughter Bekah and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book together.  We hope to help moms and daughters connect and grow in faith together.  Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a shared journaling section.

Our vision is for girls ages 7-17 to enjoy it with their moms, grandmas, or older women they look up to.  However, mothers and daughters of all ages are using this book to grow closer together!  This book makes a wonderful gift for a mother or daughter you care about!

You can buy your paperback or eBook on Amazon right here.

Resource: Ruth Haley Barton, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership Podcast, https://transformingcenter.org/2018/04/season-4-episode-2-place-conversion/