What Are You Called To?

17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. (1 Corinthians 7:17)

Among the true mysteries of God, the idea of purpose is the greatest. There is Scripture to both support and refute the great call of men from God to assigned tasks and roles. There is a great sense that He indeed orders our steps and plots our life out. Yet, we tread dangerous ground if we play this out to it’s murky end. Are we free? And if not, then what would God have me do?

We know firsthand the mystery of God. Who could ever know His mind or objectives fully? Scripture then becomes crucial in our drawing near to understand His ways and our role. Without great study, we become mystics who can never truly be sure of His character or plan. The level to His involvement in our life is almost inconsequential. The point is He is involved as a creator who loves His befuddled creation enough to intervene. Often, the Church tries to classify and frame the movement of this God with one frustrating term – calling.

After a few years in the Church, I have seen this term attributed to a vast array of self-motivated career paths. “I feel like I am being called to . . .” can be used to justify starting ministry, leaving ministry, marrying, not marrying, and so on. While this is perhaps more likely than not – for what can happen without God allowing it – it still need quantified through Scripture and the wisdom of the body. There are of course things we know without doubt we are called to. Love for the poor and broken are such examples. Ministry, whether we want to admit it or not, is also something we are all called to. “I’m not called to work with teens.” Well, you sort of are. The call of Christ always works to make us a whole-hearted follower as the Lord calls us to a richer faith. Calling often takes place in the place of most resistance. While we can be called to the specific, it is in the general we find the most growth and humility.

And this is what we do know. That when we are unsure of what is ahead, we must look back. In order to understand what we question, we must go back to what is known. God is love and man is to be humble. As the morning rises, we carry this cross, opening our hearts to the gentle whisper of a God who is still very much involved in the day to day.

Lord, call us to deeper places. Guide us to a general and specific calling. Quicken your wisdom in us so that we may be in intimate safety with you. May you be known to us as we balance the daily decisions of life.