Discerning Your Calling - Step 3

The last installment

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. ~ Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

Photo by Jose López Franco on Unsplash

This is my fourth and final installment about calling, the “personal mission statement” God has for each of us. I discovered and clarified my calling through an assignment in seminary, in which we had to write our personal mission statement in seven words or less. Mine was engineering the church to create kingdom glimpses. That calling is why I’m a pastor today.

So, the first step in discovering your calling is to look around. Where are you? Who are the people in your life? What responsibilities have you been given? You’re not where you are by accident! God has placed you there for a reason, and the first step in discerning your calling is to develop the habit of seeking God’s direction daily, wherever you are.

The second step is to focus not just on the what but on the who. Who is God calling you to be or become? What kind of person does he want you to be? Who we become is more important than what we accomplish, so as you seek God’s will for your day, seek his will for your character, too.

The third step is what I call the four-way stop. I grew up in a very small town in rural Missouri. The town was so small that the four-way stop on Main Street was the primary reference point for giving directions. “Go to the four-way stop, turn left, go three blocks, and hang a right…” A four-way stop brings four lanes together in one intersection. You can think of calling in a similar way, as the intersection of four “lanes” of life:

1. What you’re passionate about

2. What you’re frustrated by

3. What you’re good at

4. Where you see needs around you

Often, you will find your calling where these four lanes cross. What are you passionate about? What excites you? What do you wish you could do if given the chance? On the flip side, what are you frustrated by? What things or situations do you see and think, “That’s not right”? What are you good at? Have you taken an aptitude test or a personality profile (see links below)? What gifts and talents did God hardwire into you when he created you? Finally, what are the needs around you? I’ve discovered that one of the best ways to find your calling is by jumping in to serve and meet the needs that you see in front of you. Not every need points to your calling. But you’ll be helping a lot of people along the way!

There’s more to the concept of calling than I can cover in four blog posts of about 500 words. But my hope in writing this little series is to get you started. Think through the four lanes above, and write down the answers. Then, look for the four-way stop where they intersect. Seeking God’s direction daily wherever you are, being intentional about who you are becoming, and looking for the four-way stop will help you discern God’s calling for you.

One final note. I began this series by telling you about two seminary assignments. The first was writing a personal mission statement in seven words or less. The second was writing a twenty-year life plan. Unless we’re headed into a job interview, most of us don’t think about where we want to be in five years, let alone twenty. But pausing to reflect, pray, and dream about a twenty-year life plan was one of the most impactful things I’ve done. During that assignment, I realized God was calling me to transition from being a Worship Pastor to a Lead Pastor. And there are other steps I’m still working out. There have been some adaptations along the way. But living with God each day and pursuing his calling in my life has been the most invigorating, fruitful, frustrating, adventurous, annoying, and fulfilling thing I’ve done. It’s abundant life. And it’s good.

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Aptitude & Personality Assessment Links

Not all of these are free. None of these links are affiliate links. There are hundreds of tests like this online, but these tests are, in my opinion, some of the more useful for thinking through God’s calling on your life.

• 5Q Biblical Ministry Profile

• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

• StrengthsFinder

• Enneagram