No one is in this world by chance. Everyone is born for a purpose, and has a calling and a mission. “Every individual must respect his calling, whatever it may be, be proud of the dignity of that calling, and demand respect for it from others”. Charles Dickens
Calling is a high moral goal. It is the responsibility of any man to himself, others, and God to find and fulfill it. Martin Luther King said: “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michaelangelo painted, or as Beethoven composed music, or as Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of Heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”
Let us examine some factors that will help every one of us to come closer to our calling, and discover ourselves and our place in life.
1. A calling is concealed in our natural desires. This is what we are striving for, what attracts us, draws us, what we like to do. “Your calling is when you feel that you are in your place” Anna Duvarova
2. It is something that we would gladly be engaged in, even if we were not to be paid for it. “If you do not like to do something for free why do you think that you will like it if you got paid for it? It does not matter whether I am rich or not? I am just happy because I enjoy what I do, and this is true wealth.”
3. It is something we are just the best at.
“Allow everyone to deal with something that he knows much about”, Marcus Cicero
4. Anything that brings us immense joy, satisfaction, happiness, and inspiration.
“To find a calling is already a speck of happiness” G. Avsharyan
5. Something we are praised and complimented for by others.
“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyone’s task is unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it.” Viktor Frankl
6. What abilities are you not loved for, and are envied for the most.
“Envy is thrown on the most high virtues and spares only mediocrity” Gaston de Levis
7. What are you different from others in? For what virtues or gifts are you called names, humiliated and criticized?
Our difference from others is expressed in our uniqueness. This is the greatest blessing, advantage and our main weapon.
“All great people have a common feature – they stand out against the background of the grey mass of a crowd of people. To be really notable it is necessary to deal only with something you like and do the best. It is love for our vocation that makes us different from others.”
8. Anything we can do without preparation, ad-hoc (for example, think, love, analyze, be silent, smile and not to smile).
“Only scientists and Greeks are accustomed to reasoning without preparation on a given subject” Marcus Cicero
9. Something we can get into without noticing the time.
“A person must do his business as if it is impossible to attain help anywhere” D. Galifaks
10. With what would you prefer to stay in solitude?
If you would be closed in a room for three days or for a week without any opportunity to go out, with what or whom would you gladly prefer to stay? TV, Internet, books or friends?
“We should search the way to truth only in solitude, not in a crowd.” Irina Sevostyanova
“Solitude is the natural refuge of all thoughts: it inspires all poets, builds artists up, and inspires geniuses” Jean Baptiste Henri Lacordaire
11. Everything you like to read and talk about (weather, salvation, children, strategies…)
12. What do we think about most of the time?
“How great a calling is. It makes a way for incomprehensible truths and new courageous ideas.”
13. What can you be occupied with that would cause you to forget about everything else.
“Only by the sacrifice of peace and well-being that a scientist or an artist bring one can discern and prove a calling” Lev Tolstoy
14. Who inspires you? We ought to become as successful as those who inspire us.
“In order to become a genius, you need to learn from great teachers” Asem Rahimbaeva
“Face-to-face contact with a teacher is the best method of training.” Evgeniy Hankin
15. What do we love or hate the most?
“I am proud to have been in a business that gives pleasure, creates beauty, awakens our conscience, arouses compassion, and perhaps most importantly, gives millions a respite from our very violent world.” Audrey Hepburn
We are created by God: He knows us better than we know ourselves. We must use the privilege of being God’s sons and constantly ask the Father: “Who am I? What is my mission on this earth?” Keep asking until you receive an answer. Our task is to ask, seek, knock until God opens our inner eyes allowing us to see ourselves the way God sees us, and helps us to believe in ourselves the way He believes in us.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
(Mt.7:7)
Action must follow prayer.
Find all the information concerning all the gifts and talents you are gifted with. The more you know the easier it will be for you to function in them skillfully. Ask your relatives and friends their own opinion. Do not be disappointed at their negative point of view. Everything you are criticized and not loved for is your peculiarity.
Make a list of what you do easily and well. Find the right environment. Learn to see everything around you as resources and opportunities, and convert them for your benefit as everything must work for the achievement of your goals. The main thing is the salvation of people.
“To find yourself” is not a goal, but the breath of life. As soon as we stop pursuing our calling, life becomes existence. We can achieve much by having the desire to change, and by possessing courage and acquiring fresh knowledge. Everyone is given the chance to become happy through the fulfillment of their calling, but to achieve this, we must more than anything else, come out of our comfort zone.
No one can fulfill his potential without shaking off the chains of conformity from himself. The main purpose of our vocation is to use it for the Kingdom of God in converting talents into opportunities that will produce eternal benefits. Our activity is not worth a dime if we do not convert our abilities for the benefit of others, God and ourselves.
“The highest calling of a person is not to simply explain the world, but to make it better”
Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin.
For profound studying of this topic I recommend you read the following books:
“Who are you in history?”, “Fulfill your calling”, “Calling, destiny and achievement of goals”,
Sunday Adelaja
Become who you are called to become! Find your place in life!
The Senior Pastor of the Embassy of God church Sunday Adelaja
www.godembassy.com mail@godembassy.org
P.S. Prayer in solitude:
1) “Who am i? What is my calling.” Listen to Leadership school #7 and answer the question again.
2) For qualitative and timely accomplishment of all construction and finishing works of the Ukrainian Cultural and Spiritual Center that must be finished before the winter comes.
3) Burn the fire of your heart. Crave for and share the burden God has given to pastor Sunday.
Translated by Valeria Granova
Edited by Kizito Leacock
