Persist in God’s Calling
By Nanedi Faith 5 min read
Have you ever faced an obstacle while you were pursuing where you felt God was calling you? Did it make you question if you were truly following God’s purpose for your life? Well, I’m here to tell you you are not alone, and the Bible makes God’s plan seem simple.
As we go through life we ponder the question: what is my purpose? What is God’s great plan for ME?
Well, the answer to this is simple. God’s great purpose for your life is to simply give God glory and love Him. All those other worldly purposes are choices and decisions we make as people with free will, and God uses that for His great plan of reuniting His people with Him. The BIG PURPOSE is to know God and make Him known. Our little purpose or our calling may seem hard to determine however the bible makes it clear as to how God speaks into our life when He is calling us somewhere. The Discernment comes from knowing what God commands in scripture and being prayerful.
Some practical steps in discerning where God is calling you is
Be prayerful and submerge yourself in the word
Discern what are your spiritual gifts
What needs in the world tug at your heart?
What are your practical skills
What is a recurring or growing interest
Growing desire of the Heart
Affirmation and Confirmation of the local church
If your goal is truly to glorify God above everything else and you feel based on your discernment and prayer what you are pursuing is what will glorify God the most, God will do His work.
Now that we have talked about purpose let’s talk about the challenges we may face while pursuing that purpose. The challenges we may face may be external, internal, but all of them are spiritual. We are in a constant spiritual battle ground here on Earth. (1 Peter 5:8)
You are going to face challenges while pursuing your calling. It can be different for everyone. Sometimes fear is what stops us: Fear of the unknown, fear of man, fear of failure. When we get into those modes of fear we should run, turn to the word, turn to prayer, and remember our WHY and why we are pursuing what we are pursuing.
Turn to the word and what the word says about trials and God’s promises
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
James 1:2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Turn to prayer and give your burdens and petitions to the Lord trusting that He will answer in His perfect timing.
Luke 22:42
Not my will, but your will be done.
Matthew 7:7-11
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Isaiah 26:3-4
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
Resources:
https://genius.com/Gawvi-skull-lyrics
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/defy-the-impossible-in-front-of-you
https://www.bibleref.com/James/1/James-1-2.html#commentary