Life is hard. Even if you are raised by decent parents and generally make good decisions, like me, life is still hard. That’s why it helps to have an anchor in the storm, a focus when you feel unsure of yourself and everything else.
You need to know your purpose. Everyone has one. It’s why you’re here.
You probably know it already, you just need a reminder. But if you’re reading this post, it’s because you need some encouragement in this area of your life, and I have some ideas that might help you clarify things.
1. You may have more than one.
I knew I was called to lead worship, play and sing, and write music when I was as young as thirteen, but I had no idea that over twenty years later, my husband would be the worship pastor, and I would barely have time for music, because of my responsibilities as a mother and executive director of a non-profit organization. I’m also impacting thousands of people through my blog, something I never could have conceived of. I could be depressed that despite the investment I’ve put into my music, it has a minimal role in my life, but I’ve realized that different seasons have different purposes.
2. If you’re a mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, aunt or uncle – that’s your calling. Family is first.
No matter what your passion is, or what you’re good at, you always need to ask yourself if it is serving yourself more than your family, especially if it is time-consuming. Last year I spent a lot of time building my blog and trying to make money from it. I did make some money, which is helpful to my family, but I realized that I would serve them better in a financial way with a different job. I was passionate about being successful in my blog business, but I retired the dream and returned to blogging just as a hobby, because I recognized that was what’s best for my family.
3. Your calling is something that you’re passionate about that also helps other people.
It’s never just about you. Ephesians 2:10 says we were created FOR GOOD WORKS. We weren’t meant to just be born, consume resources, and die. We were meant to be a blessing to other people, and not just our immediate family. If there’s something that you’re crazy about doing that is also of great benefit to others, there’s a good chance that this is your calling.
4. You may have a different calling for different seasons.
As I mentioned before, I thought music and worship was my main calling. For years this was the only focus of my life. But soon I realized that I also had a burden for at-risk kids, and that eventually birthed the season in my life where I served at a non-profit after school program (I’m still there now). That’s not to say that music won’t come back. It’s just not for now.
5. Your friends, family, and authority figures in your life will confirm your calling.
If everyone you know is telling you that this pursuit is a bad idea, you need to seriously reevaluate things. This doesn’t mean to give up on your dreams, it just means to really listen to what they’re saying. It might not be the right season. I wanted to be a worship leader for the longest time, but I wasn’t getting support for that because I wasn’t ready. I needed to grow personally and learn how to sing on key, first! Eventually came a season where I was leading so much, I needed a break! Be patient and consistent, and if your dreams are also your calling, they will come to pass.
6. You may be pursuing something you’re called to do in the wrong way. Look at the fruit in your life.
It’s possible you have the right dream, but you’re getting the details wrong, and the details are actually causing more harm than good to yourself and the people that care about you. Maybe your dream is to open a bakery, but you don’t have any money. You need to responsibly find a way to get that money first. Or maybe whatever your venture is, you’re trying to do things by yourself when you need a partner. Whatever it is, listen to sound advice to tweak things to guarantee success.
You can impact the world with your dreams. Make sure that you’re patient, consistent, and that you do things the right way. Your destiny will find you. Don’t give up!