What you know about yourself determines what you give of yourself to others. By establishing the foundation of God’s purpose for your life, you will have a guiding point for where He is taking you.
Foundation is the key word here. God’s purpose is not a destination, but a journey you will be on for the rest of your life. The foundation of that purpose is acknowledging God being pleased with your life as the focal point. When God spoke immediately after Christ being baptized by John in Matthew 3:16, God spoke, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” God was pleased with Christ before He died on the cross. God is not pleased when we do, but when we are. Obedience is the key.
Michael Hyatt, former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing House, teaches there are three areas you must assess when desiring to identify your calling. I believe that your career is a portion of your calling, but that does not fully encompass it in its entirety. When you identify your calling, which will be continually unveiled throughout your life, you will ultimately identify your career path. This is one of my favorite things to do for those that I serve in ministry. God has given me such a grace for helping others put language to their calling. Many have a sense or can recognize things they are passionate about, but cannot fully communicate it to where someone else would be able to understand. Here are the three areas to assess to help you put language to what God is calling you to do for Him.
1. Passion: What do you love to do? What are you excited about doing at anytime, anywhere, with no money attached to it?
2. Proficiency: What are you skilled at doing?
3. Profitability: Is there a way to make money?
Michael goes on to say this, “If you have passion and competence without a market, you don’t have a calling. You have a hobby. If you have passion and market without competence, you don’t have a calling. You have a failure. If you have competence and a market without passion, you don’t have a calling. You have boredom. It really does take all three components.”
I chose full time ministry as my avenue to fulfill the passion and natural skill I had for helping people grow in God through speaking and pastoring. I enhanced that skill by spending three years in bible college. Upon graduating I moved to Chicago to serve my mentor who is now my Pastor. I am currently a Bi-vocational Pastor. I spend my days as a Site Coordinator for an After School Program, and my evenings as a Student Ministry Pastor overseeing children’s and youth ministry.
This was not my original plan, but we are heading towards the future of what God has for us. Our main goal is to be obedient as He leads.
Do not allow where you are now to discourage you towards where you are going, but be submitted to God’s process as He takes you on a journey that never fails!