Hearing and Answering God’s Call: The Series
Part 1: What is God Calling you to Do?
I have always longed to know what God wanted me to do. Does God have a specific plan or call for me…for us? This is not an easy question to answer, and sometimes knowing the answer takes time. Perhaps callings even change over time. Recently, I began to notice interesting clues, coincidences, and circumstances that made me feel like perhaps God was giving me a few nudges to help me determine my call. Of course I am human, and I sometimes get it wrong. But here are 5 clues that I felt lead me to my calling. Perhaps they can help you determine your calling too.
(Note these 5 clues are based on my personal experiences so please take what I say with a grain of salt. I think God reaches all of us in different ways)
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1. You have a Passion for Something.
In the Bible God seemed to give others a passion for whatever God was calling them to do. Like in the Bible, I think God gives us a passion for where we are being called to serve. If we don’t have a passion, we are probably not going to give the job our best efforts. When we are passionate, we feel driven to do the best we can do. So are you passionate for certain needs or causes? Did something happen in your life that seemed to develop that passion?
2. You have Certain Spiritual Gifts and Even Talents.
1 Corinthians 12: 4-11 Says
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Romans 12: 6-8 Says
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
1 Corinthians and Romans tells us that God gives us spiritual gifts that we are suppose to use to serve God and others. So knowing your gifts may help you determine what you are being called to do. If you are curious about your spiritual gifts, you can find several spiritual gifts surveys online. I won’t provide a link since there are so many different types, and many are available through churches. Pick which survey appeals to you.
You may not fully know your gifts after taking a survey as the answers to the survey do not dictate these are your spiritual gifts, but maybe the spiritual gifts quiz can lead you in the right direction. These surveys ask questions to help you self-reflect. Pray for God to guide you as you learn about yourself. Sometimes God not only gives you the spiritual gifts listed in the Bible, but God also gives us talents we can use to serve God and others. Do you have certain talents you can use? Perhaps brainstorming and writing your talents down in a journal will help you move closer to understanding your call.
3. Signs and Coincidences Keep Pointing You in a Certain Direction
This one makes me nervous. As humans we can often see the signs we WANT to see. I know that I sometimes do! Or when I am feeling pessimistic, I see signs I DON’T WANT to see. HOWEVER sometimes the coincidences are just too unbelievable or signs are occurring one after another. When the signs are just too amazing, maybe we should take notice.
If you want to read an awe-inspiring book about God leading someone, read The Narrow Road: Stories of Those Who Walk This Road Together (International Adventures)
This book motivated me to ask God to lead me even if it was scary. And my life changed after that…
Read more about how this book changed my life here!
4. Your “God Calling” Matches with what Jesus Teaches.
This one is soooo important.
Matthew 22: 36-40 says
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
So does your call line up with these two commandments and the other teaching of Jesus? God calls us to help and serve others. Does your call help and serve others?
5. Your Calling Doesn’t Have to Be Your Job
Sometimes our jobs are different than our calling, and that is okay. Some people feel called to volunteer in certain areas. I love how Bob Goff, a lawyer and writer, looked at his job. In his book, “Love Does,” Goff said he viewed his job as a lawyer as fundraising for his mission. We can also view our jobs as a fundraiser for our call to serve other. Our calling can even be how we feel we should live our lives. For example, maybe you feel called to be an encourager, so you try to encourage others wherever you are. You encourage your co-workers, your family, or random people at a store. Sometimes we feel called to do something, but don’t love every aspect of the calling. Yet our passion drives us to push through. Maybe you feel passionate about helping the homeless, but you don’t love all the paperwork that goes into working at a certain organization. Your passion and calling can drive you to do the less appealing stuff. Does this make sense?
Bob Goff’s book, Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World
Keeping Track of Your God Calling Clues
As you contemplate your calling, you may want to keep a journal. Sometimes writing helps us organize our thoughts. Writing your thoughts, ideas, spiritual gifts results, talents, and listing your passions in a journal can help you in your search for your calling. I find that I am more open to hearing God’s call when I pray before I write. You can also use a journal to write your prayers and write down your awe-inspiring God experiences. I am able to remember those amazing “God moments” in my life when I write them down as soon as they happen.
Just in case you are looking for a good journal, here are a few beautiful inspiring journals.
This is part one of a five part series. Part 2 talks about clue number one, which is finding your Passion. Sometimes the fact that a passion keeps surfacing throughout your life is a sign in and of itself….
Find out more about the first clue that God is calling you in Part 2: Did God Give you a Passion for a Reason?
This series is meant for anyone searching for God’s call. However, if you are contemplating blogging or think blogging might be your calling, you might find later posts particularly helpful. I go into not only my blogging journey, but also the steps I took to start a blog.
Continue the Story…
How to Start a Blog When You Feel Called to Blog
Did God Give You a Passion for a Reason? Part 2
To Unbelievable to Be Coincidence, Part 3
Are These Signs from God? A Call Story, Part 4
About Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN and 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life
Lacy Ngo is a dietitian nationally recognized as a top expert in faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition. She shares the exact steps that, based on science, produce the most dramatic health and weight loss success in her book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This book is like nothing you have ever seen before. It combines faith and science. Both are crucial when it comes to producing real change because real change involves the mind, body, and spirit.
Copyright © 2017 Mindfulness in Faith and Food.
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I discovered i could impact people through writing about how to manage their finance and the feedback has been good.
https://rawlingsunday.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/did-you-achieve-your-goals-for-this-year/
I am so glad you have found a way to help others! This is so wonderful!
This was such an interesting read!
I agree that God calls us all at different times and in different ways. We need to be receptive to His voice and call but also to be obedient.
I don’t think we should be telling people though, about what their gifts and talents should be. People are endowed with different talents and abilities that they may or may not use to His glory.
I pray that in 2018 we will listen more to His voice and also allow Him to live out his will in our lives, leading to rich experiences of faith to share with each other.
Thanks for sharing and all the very best.
Thank you! Yes, God has endowed us with different talents and abilities. I agree, we shoudn’t be telling others what their gifts and talents should be. It is up to God to help the person find the gifts and talents God has given them. We must let God lead and be open to listen while we search. So true, sometimes we don’t use out gifts for His glory. Thank you for the wonderful prayer for 2018.
This is so important, living in your purpose.
So true Sydney! Living with a purpose gives us such joy!
Knowing your calling or God’s will is very tricky sometimes. You’ll need wisdom and discernment. These are very good indicators and starting point. Blessings!
Thanks Mary! So true, it takes time to know and lots of discerning 🙂
This is a wonderful that helps gently guide us into His way. No matter what your religious persuasion, I think most people want to do the “right” thing. It’s nice to know that even without realizing it, God has set us up to succeed in this area. Thanks for sharing!
This is a great point. Sometimes God guides us even when we are not searching. I feel like I am more likely to follow God’s call when I am searching and ready to listen.
Very interesting. While I do help others there are times when I find it difficult to ascertain if that’s due to my core beliefs rather than what God is calling me to do.
Thank you for this interesting read.
Ellen x
http://www.elfeelgoodsvintage.uk
Thanks Ellen, I do the same thing. I help others not because of a calling but because I feel like this is what God would want, and sometimes I feel that God has asked me to do someting very specific. There have been times when I didn’t know what I was suppose to do. I was saying yes to everything and not doing a good job as any. I prayed for God to help me figure out where God thought I should serve. And God guided me. I talk more about this in the next parts of this series. I think we shoudl do both. Serve others because it is right AND listen for any specific callings. Thanks for stopping by.
Over the years, I’ve definitely felt that I was being steered in certain directions. I look forward to reading the rest of this post series.
Thanks Michelle! I am hoping to post part 2 today!
Very nice blog post!
This really hits home for me! Discerning what the Lord wan’ts me to do is sometimes difficult and I long to be in His will! Sometimes I wish He still wrote on walls! Lol
I know! I sometimes wish this too. Sometime it takes time to figure out what we are suppose to do, doesn’t it? I just try to love and serve others while I wait. And sometimes I think we are called to do something for a while and then the calling changes. Sometimes I figure out my calling while I am serving in different ways.
Thanks for sharing this, i love how you said your callimg matches what Jesus teaches because sometimes we could get confused with the calling and not review it with the Bible.
Part of my calling, I think, had to do with something I never would have thought I could do – and something I didn’t really want to do (not the human part of me, anyway).
I always told God I didn’t want to be a teacher … up until last year, when I finally surrendered and told God I would do whatever He wanted me to do. Not long after that prayer, I went in to talk to the director of the daycare center connected to the private school my girls attend, and a few days later I started teaching there. This is the lowest-paying job I have ever had, and you only need a high school degree to work there (I have a master’s degree). But I have no doubt that every step was directed by God.
It’s where He wants me to be … for now. I am a teacher, whether I want to be or not. It’s what He made me to be, so I’m learning to be okay with that. I’m also learning that I need to lean on Him daily to keep going. I can’t do it under my own strength. And I think that’s kind of the point too. 🙂
Did you write a blog about this? I think I read it! God seems to do this too sometimes. God puts us in situations that we never knew we would excel. God finds so many different ways to get us to our calling. I think our calling can sometimes be where we work and can sometimes be where we volunteer. Our calling could even be how we feel we should live our life wherever we are. Say we realize we want to be an encourager. We then encourage others at our work, at the store, or at social gatherings.
I love to encourage other women, to know they are beautiful loved and have a voice! Thank you for your encouragement today! Blessings sweet sister! 🙂
Blessings to you too, Donna. Thank you for encouraging women. We so need to hear we are beautiful, loved, and have a voice. Thank you!
I’ve found these clues to be evident in my life as well! God is faithful to guide us, isn’t he?
Oh yes! God seems to find a way to guide us every time. 🙂
This was a wonderful post to read at the start of a new year. Sometimes you need to just stop and reset. This post helped me with that.
So true, the new year is a great time to stop and reset.
I think this is so important that we live with purpose. My calling is teaching. I have been teaching for 5 years now and I’m loving every minute of it!
What a beautiful calling! I have a special place in my heart for teachers. You are more important than you know. You change the world!
Wonderful Articles , i go much advice’s from it
thanks to sharing ♥
Finding my calling was one of the hardest things to discover in my life. I am so happy that your writing this series to help others find their purpose in life. I cant wait to read part 2
This comment made my heart so happy. I just posted part 2. I feel like the story gets even better in parts 3 and 4! That’s when the really awe-inspiring stuff happens.
Live your purpose! This is a great post. Thank you for writing it.
Encouraging words. Thank you for sharing the scripture with others. I want my calling to be my job. That seems like a two birds one stone kinda deal.
Yes! if your calling is your job that is awesome!!!