Discovering Your Divine Design
How The Journey Starts And Some Key Stops Along The Way
Raise your hand if you woke up today and muttered to yourself, “My goal today is to meander through with aimless intention and baseline mediocrity.” NO! Of course not. If you are in a healthy place, your goal isn’t just to exist.
You want to flourish - to experience the abundant life that Jesus promises (Jn 10:10).
If life were a tapestry, each thread would be woven with purpose, imbued with a divine design. For people of the Christian faith, this design unfolds in two profound parts: a universal calling that binds us together and a specific calling that sets our individual hearts aflame. Understanding and embracing both is key to living a life that honors God and serves the world.
The Universal Call: A Foundation of Love
At the heart of the Christian faith lies a fundamental, universal calling: to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This isn't a suggestion or a mere ideal; it's a cornerstone commandment articulated powerfully by Jesus himself:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39, ESV)
This universal call transcends our individual differences. It calls us to cultivate a deep and abiding love for the Creator, expressed through worship, obedience, and a life lived in His presence. Simultaneously, it compels us to extend that same love, compassion, and empathy to every person we encounter, regardless of their background, beliefs, or circumstances. This love is not merely a feeling but an active commitment to justice, mercy, and kindness. As the Apostle John wrote:
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7, ESV)
For Christians, this universal calling is the bedrock upon which our individual purpose is built. It reminds us that our lives are not solely our own but are intrinsically connected to God and to the broader human family.
If you’re confused about your life purpose, this is where you start. How are you doing at this universal calling part of loving God and loving others? I often wonder if God seems silent or confusing about a specific calling because we aren’t taking this first part seriously.
The Specific Call: Unveiling Your Unique Purpose
Beyond the universal call to love, each of us is uniquely created with a specific calling – a particular purpose or set of purposes that God intends for our lives. This is the "why" behind our existence, the deep yearning within us to contribute something meaningful to the world.
Scripture speaks to this individual design:
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)
This verse highlights that our specific calling is not an afterthought but an integral part of God's plan for us. It suggests that there are "good works" uniquely suited to our talents, passions, and experiences waiting for us to discover and embrace.
Some of us know our specific calling from an early age. It’s clear from the beginning, and off we go to make it a reality. While the majority of us take more time and certainly more effort to come to a conviction about our calling. Trial and error are often required on our journey of discerning our calling. As author Parker Palmer once said, “Each time a door closes, the rest of the world opens up.”
Calling, Vocation, Values, and Skills: Putting it All Together
To better understand how this specific calling manifests in our lives, it's helpful to distinguish between several related concepts:
Calling (The Why): As discussed, this is the underlying purpose, the divine intention behind our lives, both universal (love God and others) and specific (our unique contribution). It's the deep-seated reason we do what we do.
Vocation (The What): This refers to our occupation, profession, or the primary way we spend our time and energy. While our vocation can directly express our specific calling, it's not always the case. Sometimes, our vocation provides the means or platform to fulfill aspects of our calling outside of our paid work.
Values (The Rules You Play By): These are the core principles and beliefs that guide our decisions and actions as we pursue our calling and engage in our vocation. For Christians, these values are rooted in scripture and the teachings of Jesus, such as honesty, integrity, compassion, justice, and humility. Our values shape how we live out our calling and engage in our work.
Skills (The How): These talents, abilities, and knowledge equip us to fulfill our calling and perform our vocation effectively. They are the practical tools we use to bring our purpose to life.
Digging Deeper to Uncover Your Specific Calling
Discovering our specific calling is often a journey of prayer, reflection, and seeking God's guidance. It involves paying attention to our passions, recognizing our gifts, and being open to opportunities that align with our values. It will undoubtedly involve:
* Prayer and Scripture Study: Seeking God's wisdom and understanding through His Word.
* Self-Reflection: Examining our talents, interests, and what truly brings us joy and a sense of purpose.
* Seeking Counsel: Talking with trusted mentors, pastors, and friends who can offer guidance and perspective.
* Experimentation and Openness: Trying new things and being open to unexpected paths that God might place before us.
* Serving Others: Often, our specific calling is intertwined with serving the needs of others in unique ways.
Embracing our specific calling is not always easy. It may require stepping out of our comfort zones, facing challenges, and trusting in God's provision. However, when we align our lives with His purpose for us, we experience a deep sense of fulfillment and contribute to the flourishing of the world around us.
Living a Life of Purpose
As people of faith, we are compelled to live lives that are both deeply rooted in the universal love of God and neighbor and actively engaged in pursuing our specific, God-given purposes. By understanding the "why" of our calling, the "what" of our vocation, the "rules" of our values, and the "how" of our skills, we can navigate life with intention and impact. May we all strive to discern our divine design and live in a way that brings glory to God and blessings to those around us.