Why I Stopped Worrying About My Calling

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”  

Frederick Buechner, Writer & Theologian

That is one of my all-time favorite quotes about calling.   Calling.  Many of us often throw that word around.  We say things like

I feel called to be a missionary.

I am called to be a teacher.

I feel called to write or speak.

Called to be a wife and mother.

Called to serve in this ministry or that ministry.

Called to help families in poverty.

We feel called to certain areas of service, ministry, careers, and even roles.  We continually hear the message that God has a plan for us.  He has a purpose.  He has uniquely designed each of us under His creation to fulfill a purpose for His Kingdom.  And that’s good, Kingdom stuff. 

But that word, called, can bring a lot of pressure with it.

Have you ever had someone ask, what do you feel like God is calling you to do?  What do you think His plan for your life is?  Those questions can carry a lot of weight and they are questions we may not have the answers to.  I mean, what if you don’t know what God is calling you to do?  Or what if you thought you knew, but now God seems to be leading you in another direction?

I wonder how many of you find yourself worrying about your calling.  Maybe you worry you won’t figure it out or that you’ll miss it somehow.  Perhaps you’re scared that God has forgotten about you and your dreams.  Or maybe you have let fear creep in and you’ve started believing the enemy’s lies that you don’t have a purpose and you’ll never get it all together. 

Let me tell you, I get how confusing this can be.  

I’ve found myself at a crossroads lately with my own calling.  I feel like I’m all around it and just can’t quite put my finger on it.  I have many passions and interests and I don’t think I’m supposed to discredit those, nor do I think I’m supposed to choose one over the other.  I believe they all will work together in the long run.  But as I’ve analyzed this for some time now, there is a question I have been sitting on for a bit.

At what point does our calling evoke more worry than joy?

Up until this point I feel like I have worried about what my calling is more than I have enjoyed being on the journey with God to discover it.  I want to have everything planned out.  I even found myself pleading with God to just tell me what it is so I could start doing it.  


I would hear the soft whispers to my heart, just keep being obedient.  Keep going.   I was worrying about something that really wasn’t up to me and wasn’t in my control.   Once I had that realization, I knew that I had to stop worrying about my calling.  I just needed to be obedient to God and He would take care of the rest.  


Perhaps you find yourself at a similar crossroads today.  Let me encourage you with what God has been teaching me about calling lately. 

To stop worrying about your calling doesn’t mean you get lazy and never think about it again. On the contrary.  You still need to put the work in.  It means lots of prayer, honing your skills and gifts and walking daily with Him.  If you're unsure of your gifts, consider taking a spiritual gifts test or talking to those closest to you to see what gifts they see in you.  Sometimes it's hard to see things in ourselves and it can be helpful to have an outside (trustworthy) source point these out.  

To stop worrying about your calling means to die to yourself so that God can move.  To let go of things that might be holding you back so that He can work through you for His glory.  Are you holding on to something that you need to be letting go of?  Fear?  Unconfessed sin?  Mistrust? Pride?

I’ve also come to realize that one of the biggest reasons why we worry about our calling is that deep down we doubt that God will come through.  We worry that we will come all this way and God will decide not to fulfill our dream.  Sometimes we doubt He even hears our dreams and the inner cries of our hearts desire.  But He does.  He hears all of them.  Friend, stop worrying that God will do His part.  Stop hesitating to make that jump or take that leap of faith because you’re worried that God won’t catch you.  Trust in His timing.  Trust in His goodness. 

The point of a calling is that it’s not really about us, it’s about God.

I find that so freeing because in today’s world of a me, me, me mindset,  I so want it to be about Him, Him, Him.  Our calling is not about us friend.  It is about using the gifts and passions that God has ordained in us to serve Him and His people.  It is about getting to the rawest places with God, walking through the hard seasons, the tough stuff, and asking the question God, how will you use this to bring glory to your name? 

Did you know that God gives us passions?  Oh absolutely He does.  He gives us interests.  He will even break our hearts for certain groups of people or certain areas of service.  There is meaning and purpose to it all.  What are you passionate about?  What breaks your heart?  What gives you great joy and fulfillment?  Take those things and look around.  Match those things to the needs that you see around you.  Listen to those nudges from the Holy Spirit.  I would dare to venture that your calling is a combination of those things. 

Friend, we have to stop putting pressure on ourselves to figure it all out right now, because the likelihood is that we will not.  God often chooses to reveal our calling and purpose over time; constantly calling us to newer and deeper faith.  He calls us every day to walk with Him. We are called to be His children.  We are called to bring glory to Him and point others to Jesus. 

Perhaps some of us are called to one specific purpose, but for many of us, we will find that we are called to do many things.  God may call you to be a mother, a nurse, a children’s ministry leader, a wife, an encourager to those around you.  You can be called to do many things.  A lot of times we put such pressure on ourselves to discover our one purpose, our one calling, but in reality we are called to do many things.  Each one designed to bring us closer to The Lord.    

So today if you find yourself worrying about the next step to take, worrying that you haven’t heard God correctly,  or worrying that you will miss your calling in life, let me encourage you.

Just seek Him.  It really is that simple.  Continue to pray.  Keep pursuing what you’re passionate about, what makes your heart break.  Keep going.  Keep being obedient.  In His perfect timing, He will put you where you need to be.  God does have a plan and a purpose for you and friend, it is so so good.  

It's my birthday today, which means it's time for a giveaway!  

Do you ever worry about your calling?  What are you most passionate about?  If you do know your calling, what is it?  I would love to know!

Leave a comment and you will be entered to win a copy of Holly Gerth's book, You're Made for a God-Sized Dream! 

Winner will be chosen at random and announced next Thursday, June 30th!