Are you just randomly wandering through this earth, or does God have a calling for your life? The Bible affirms that God has for you a life purpose, and the Bible encourages us to be receptive to God’s direction.

But how do we discern God’s call? In the many “call” stories in the Bible—from God’s call to Abraham and Moses through God’s calling to the prophets to the call of Jesus to the disciples—we find these recurring themes:

• God’s Spirit is at work to communicate God’s call to us, and the call can come to us in all sorts of different times and places
• The call may come in one moment, but often comes through a series of experiences
• We may especially experience God’s call when we are in a time of personal wrestling, or a time of particular challenge or difficulty
• God’s call may very well be bigger than what we were counting on
• God’s call can be in all sorts of specific directions
• God’s call to us may shift at various points in our life
• The central aspect of every call is that God calls us beyond ourselves to share in God’s purposes
• As God calls us, God also gives the assurance that God is with us—to guide, sustain, and empower us.

It may be challenging to follow God’s call, and yet it is doing so that we find real meaning and fulfillment in life. The Scriptures encourage us to commit ourselves to God’s purpose—even if the going gets tough—and to know that God’s Spirit will be powerfully at work through us. As the apostle Peter wrote, “Those who suffer trials in doing God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (I Peter 4:19)

Sunday’s Scripture Readings:
Jeremiah 1:4–8
Mark 1:16–20

Related posts:

When Life Throws You Overboard, It’s Time for Serious Thinking How to Be Happy When the World Gives You Grief God’s Call for Your Life Spiritual Gifts