Calling

A friend of mine has a quote at the end of his emails from Howard Hendricks:

"Your career is what you get paid for; your calling is what you were made for."

I believe finding your calling – particularly in service to God – is pivotal to living a life of meaning and purpose.

The Bible says “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18 (KJV). Burnout is a form of perishing; it doesn’t occur because people are working too hard, or are too tired or too driven – it occurs when people lose their meaning and purpose in what they are doing with their life.

Many people trudge through life, just going through the motions of living without ever finding what they were made for; never reaching their full potential, never following a dream. I have lost count of the number of people who have told me they are counting down the days to their retirement. It appears they are finding little fulfillment in what they are doing and are literally wishing their life away.

A calling is a personal vision – a dream of what can be, of who you can be and of the impact you can have in the world. I believe the best way to find our calling is to ask the One who designed us what we were designed for. Why don’t you ask God what He wants you to do with your life, what He made you for – I am sure He will tell you.