Finding Your Calling and Stick With It
1In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” Acts 6:1-4
I have a tendency to complicate things.
God called me to study His words and teach them to others. I’d sensed this calling in about 4 years ago, but as years went by I had added quite a few goals on my plate.
One of them was to be a successful businessman for God in the “real world”, so I could develop the credibility to preach to Christians who have to bring bread to the tables. I had this thought primarily because I worried that the sheep might grumble and complain that I don’t understand their real needs.
Wandering in the Desert Because of That Fear
Two years ago, when I was leaving University after graduation and a short term contract work on campus, I took three months of vacation in my home town. I used that period as my sabbath months. During that time I reflected on my past and took a break from all the burdens in life. After that I joined a MLM company, thinking that it would give me some real world experience so I could be better equipped for the ministry of God’s words.
7 months later I turned to a new opportunity: building a website based on the MLM company’s field —personal finance —so I could attract and recruit day in and night out worldwide. It was a great idea, but it wasn’t the greatest idea.
I thought being a financial planner would open doors to many families and allow me to understand them on a personal level, to have opportunities to share the gospel with them, and to train a broad range of skills too: leadership skill, people skill, and business skill and probably more. The latter is the popular argument the MLM sector use to recruit agents and keep them, and I totally bought into that.
11 months after the online project launched I did a serious soul searching: why not build a website based on my walk with God? (But the fear crept in and I sort of turning it into a personal growth and success site) And now, 2 years after leaving the campus, I wonder why not going straight for a site that is based on the bible as the main theme? That way I would be able to study God’s words everyday, and output the finding to the world everyday!
So it is, I am turning my main website, Exodus-From-9to5.com, from a MLM site to a Christian site!
Simplify And Eliminate
If I choose to stay in the “real world” and stick it out, I would be doing what I wasn’t called to do. I would be “neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.”.
It was perfectly good if others’ callings are going into the real world and be light and salt to the world in private sectors, but I am far from being good at doing that, at least not for another 10 years if I am to become good at money and stuff.
I am glad that God simplified things for me and reminded me to re-focus on my main calling.
After I made that decision to go back to my calling, I felt so much lighter and freer!
What is your calling? It might be more simple than what it seems to be. Once you get through the struggles, fears, and soul searches, you will find freedom and joy in following your true calling.
Links
Shortly after I wrote this post, I found a great post on the Web talking about finding true calling in life.
I totally know how you feel. I’m really soul searching for what God wants me to do right now. Your story feels so similar to what I’m going through right now. I feel like a may be called to ministry but I’m just not sure. I’ve tried some different entrepreneurship things along with thinking about going to law school but they just don’t seem quite right. Thanks for the inspiration.