Are you asking God what He wants you to do with your life, but you still feel unsure? If you are trying to discern God’s calling, this post offers clear biblical guidance to help you seek His will with faith, patience, and obedience. You will learn how God’s call is often bigger than a job title, why closeness with Him matters most, and how to take faithful next steps without turning “calling” into an idol.
You’re Not Alone in the Struggle to Discern God’s Call
I have incredibly vivid memories of what it was like to seek a calling from God. I remember the struggle of wanting to obey Him but not knowing what He was calling me to. For those of you who may be in that same place right now, please just know this: you are not alone.
I have a verrrry long story of how God worked in my life to help me surrender to His call. I wanted to be an engineer; He had a different plan. As you might imagine, it’s a far longer story than I have space to write (and perhaps longer than you want to read). But I do want to say this: as I sought after God, asking Him, “What do you want me to do with my life?” He was faithful to respond. It took time, and I had to learn lessons along the way. In a sense, God waited until I was utterly desperate for what He might say before He said anything. But when He did speak, it was clear, and I was ready for it.
As you seek to engage and discern God’s calling for your life, I have a few thoughts that you may find helpful:
Submit Your Plans to God (When His Will Looks Different Than Yours)
First, know that if you truly seek after God’s will for your life, you may discover that it looks very different from your own plans. That means you may need to submit your plans to God. Also know this: His plan is far better than anything you could dream up. As someone looking back on 15 years of pursuing God’s call on my life, I can say with confidence that His plan really is better.
What the Bible Says Every Christian Is Already Called to Do
When we think about calling, we often think only in terms of the specific callings God gave to people like Moses (called to free and lead Israel), Isaiah (called to speak to people who did not want to hear), or Paul (called to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles). And God absolutely does give those kinds of callings—Scripture is full of examples. But God also gives very clear, general calls to every believer. As you seek to obey whatever specific call God may have for your life, I want to encourage you to be faithful to the calls He has already given to all of us, such as:
The call to deny ourselves as Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 16:24)
The call to love one another (John 13:34–35)
The call to offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1)
The call to live lives that reflect Jesus (Ephesians 4:1; 5:1–2)
The call to do right and seek justice (Isaiah 1:17)
The call to help the oppressed (Isaiah 58:6–7)
The call to seek first the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33–34)
The call to make disciples (Matthew 28:19–20)
And the list goes on…
Calling vs. Career: God’s Calling Is Bigger Than Your Job Title
Calling is not the same thing as vocational ministry. Some people are clearly called by God but never hold an official church title like pastor, worship leader, or missionary. It’s important to understand that God needs people representing Him and loving their neighbors in every sphere of society worldwide. God calls some to business, some to teaching, some to law enforcement. He calls others to parenthood, farming, or factory work. He calls students to be faithful students, politicians to lead with integrity, and athletes to represent Him in their sport. God does call some to church work—but not everyone.
How to Discern Your Calling Through Closeness With God
When you read through Scripture and look at those who received specific calls from God, do you notice any patterns? Consider this list: Samuel, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, all twelve disciples, and Paul. Think about their moments of calling. Every one of them was called in an encounter with God. Moses at the burning bush, Isaiah in the throne room, Paul on the road to Damascus, and so on. While not every calling in Scripture includes a recorded encounter like this, I would argue that all of them involved closeness with God. This is a major key in discerning your calling. Get as close to God as you can. Spend time in relationship with Him and pay attention to how His call on your life begins to emerge from that place.
Gifts and Calling: When Your Calling Doesn’t Match Your Strengths
Sometimes your calling will align with your natural gifts, and sometimes it won’t. Moses was not a strong speaker, yet God called him to do a lot of talking. I’ve heard many people try to discern their calling based only on the gifts and talents God has given them. And while God sometimes works that way, He doesn’t always. People also tend to assume their gifts only fit within a single field. I can tell you that I do, in fact, have an engineering mind. I once thought that meant I needed to be an engineer—but that same way of thinking has served me well in ministry.
Don’t Despise Small Steps: Faithfulness Before the “Big Thing”
If you sense God calling you to something that feels very big, remember this: don’t wait for the “big thing” before you act. God will often call you to faithfulness in small things long before He entrusts you with bigger ones.
When Calling Becomes an Idol: Keep Jesus First
Finally, be careful not to let your calling become your god. Humans have an incredible ability to turn almost anything into an idol—money, comfort, success, food, productivity, even good things. Your calling can become an idol just as easily. Many have gone before us and made this mistake. Don’t make it. Make sure Jesus is your first love, and let your calling remain a distant second, fifth, or even tenth on your list of priorities.
Encouragement for Anyone Seeking God’s Call
If you want more encouragement as you discern God’s calling, check out It’s My Turn. This book shares the stories of twenty ordinary believers who ran the race God set before them, not for applause, but because they loved Jesus most. As you read, you’ll pick up practical “baton-passing” lessons, real examples of faithfulness through missteps and fatigue, and fresh courage to step into your moment with purpose. The world is waiting, the baton is in your hands, and now is the time to say, it’s my turn.
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