For followers of Jesus, finding God's will for our lives can feel a bit elusive at times. Rarely does God give a clear, direct answers when we ask, "What should I do?" More often, God uses a combination of indicators to guide and direct our choices.
So you think you feel God's call in a specific direction – but how do you know it's God, and not just you?
Consider:
What does it mean to be "called" or receive a "calling" from God to ministry?
When we read through the Bible, we see the act of people becoming followers of Jesus referred to as a "calling" or being "called."
Being called into a relationship with God happens in a variety of ways: sometimes the calling is more cognitive – the good news of Jesus just seems to make sense, sometimes we see a need in our lives and believe that Jesus is the answer, sometimes it's an emotional experience, or maybe it's the example of another Jesus follower that convinces us this is true. But in all these instances, Holy Spirit is doing the calling, He's just using a variety of microphones.
Likewise, our calling to ministry can come through a variety of channels:
God uses many and varied means to call each of us into ministry, most of which are not miraculous signs. How might God be speaking to you?
Our walk with God isn't a solitary call. We are called into a community of Jesus followers. Often, the Holy Spirit speaks through those around us.
Others in the Body of Christ should recognize God's call and affirm that God is leading you into ministry.
A call to full-time ministry is really no different from the call to any other vocation for Jesus followers.
Being called simply means being obedient to the ongoing leading of the Holy Spirit in your life. God is calling every Jesus follower to submit our whole lives to Him and to bring glory to His name.
"Whether then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)
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