Have You Discovered Your Calling From God? (Part 2)

A calling, as defined in the first article, is when we perceive God defining a purpose we are intended to pursue to change the world around us. In Matthew 5, Jesus is teaching on what is called “The Beatitudes” in which he defines people who will be blessed by God. One category of such people are those who work at establishing peace.

Jesus says they, those that work at building peace in others, will be called Children of God. The idea is those who labor with the same objective as God, desiring and working at bringing peace and unity to the human soul, will be identified as God’s kids. The apostle Paul Says it best when he says we are “Called” as Ambassadors for Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:20

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 

In Acts 9, before he was a believer, Paul asked the Jewish high priest to give him a letter to arrest any people who were called “Followers of the Way.” He hated these people so much because they claimed to follow the risen Christ. Believers did not call themselves Christian in the early church but rather they were “Called” Christian by unbelievers because they followed the teachings of Jesus. Our ultimate calling should come from God but it should be encouraging when the world can identify that we are called by our lifestyle.

When I worked in the automotive industry as a master mechanic it didn’t take long for the other mechanics to realize I wasn’t swearing like a sailor with them, nor was I willing to cheat on my jobs by claiming more repairs than were needed. They quickly started calling me, and at time, shouting out, “Hey God Man.” They thought this was a degrading comment but I took great joy in hearing it. There will be times when the world recognizes our calling and either they will be drawn to us and our calling, or they will try to harm us and our reputation.

Going back to the beginning of creation God “Called” the universe into being. In other words he spoke and things materialized. God’s desire is that when we are called we will catch his heart and vision for our life and for others.  To be clear, a calling from God can be a singular calling towards a certain task or person or it could be a life long occupation.

Abraham was called to leave his country and friends for an unknown land. That calling once completed then moved him to the next calling which was to experience a child in his old age. Often our larger calling only becomes manifest when we embrace a smaller calling, which in turn opens doors for new callings. The prophet Jonah was called to speak to the people of Nineveh but he rejected that calling. By doing so his life turned upside down and he suffered greatly for his disobedience. Not until he confessed his rebellion did things turn around for him. Ananias in the book of Acts was called to go and pray for Paul’s eyesight to be healed. At first he resisted because he had heard of all the harm Paul was having on the church. God assured Ananias that God had a calling for Paul and thus he had a calling for Ananias to go and pray.

Our calling requires action and not just mental acceptance. It’s not just something we receive and then wait for God to move. Rather, once we hear the calling from God he expects us to move by faith on what we know. In Judges 6 God called a man named Gideon. Like many of us, when God called he had all kinds of excuses why he was not the leader God wanted. Gideon seemed to have an attitude that God had abandoned him and his fellow Jews. Just prior to calling Gideon, God had sent a prophet to Israel and told them why he had abandoned them. Because Israel had abandoned their calling in God first he was leaving them to experience the fruit of their own actions. Often when we refuse our calling from God he allows the enemy to torment us until, hopefully, we come to our senses. Sometimes we just get bitter and entrenched against God, blaming him when we are the ones who cause our own problems.

According to John 1:12, first and foremost God calls us to become his children based on the work of Jesus on the cross. That requires our surrender to his ways and thus we are called to become “Followers of the Way” just like the early believers. Many professing Christians are no more than just thinkers of the way rather than followers of the way. Secondly, we are called to reject the pride of self-sufficiency that separated us from God in the first place and embrace humility as a way of life. C.S. Lewis said it best, Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less”

When Jesus had built an understanding in his followers of a personal calling he then explained that he would build his church with these people. They were called the Ekklesia or “The Called Out Ones.” Those people who embraced him as Lord and Savior. It is through our personal relationship with God that we are able to approach him for help whatever our needs are. It is his desire that this organism called the church would change the world, which it has, but not as completely as intended.  In fact God gives us access and the challenge to call on him so that he might release his power on our behalf in that pursuit.

Matthew 16:18

Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, (Ekklesia) and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 

Jeremiah 33:3

Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

There are many things we as “Followers of The Way” are called to do. We are called to pray for all people. We are all called to use the gifts God has given us for the common good. We are called to use every opportunity to share our faith in the Lord Jesus. These are our common callings.

1 Timothy 2:1 

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men. 

1 Peter 4:10-11

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. … If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ

Colossians 4:5-6

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

In the next article I will explore how we hear God ‘s calling for us individually and how to discover the wonder of those callings as we act in faith on what the Holy Spirit reveals to our souls. We have investigated our general calling that comes in various forms and ways, and I want to leave you with this very great promise God gives to those of us who embrace our calling by faith.

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Questions:

1) Are you walking in the general callings for all believers or just learning God’s principles? God has called us to be more than in information gatherers – He has called us to change the world around us.

2) Have you heard God calling you to a specific purpose or task? Don’t ignore that calling or you may find yourself experiencing hardships you didn’t plan on

Loving to think biblically,

Pastor Dale