Considering the importance of one’s calling, one tends to think that it is very difficult to discover it. In reality, it is not that difficult, were you not blocking yourself from discovering it. At least, that is how it was for me.

The process of discovery

I think we all intuitively know what our calling is. It is in our hearts or in our subconscious minds. But before we recognise it, we tend to block it. We look at it, so to speak, but we do not see it. Why?

It could be a number of reasons. Maybe we are too young and do not see any need for it yet. Maybe we are so challenged by life (through trials or just being too busy) to have time to wonder about it. Maybe our connection with God and our self is too poor to understand it. Maybe we have limiting beliefs pressed upon us in the past by others we have trusted. Maybe we need a mentor to guide us. In the end, your calling is the summary of who you really are, and you will only recognise and admit it if you know yourself intimately.

Learning to know yourself intimately starts with building a deep, trusting relationship with God. He has made you, so He knows your calling. Ask Him. Reading through old journals of mine I wrote at the time of discovering my calling, I came to the surprising conclusion that, although I have read a lot about the subject, I only did that after I have discovered my calling. It was because the subject fascinated me, and because I wanted to learn more about myself, that I read a lot about it. Yet I was able to discover my calling without such help. But perhaps this is only one way of doing it. Each person will have his or her own way. 

In my case, I went on a retreat with a good friend of mine who were close to God and who was also searching. I think the timing of the retreat was good, as I was already searching for more meaning in life. We spent a couple of days away from home. We put in a lot of solitary hours praying, thinking, reading and making notes, only debriefing each other twice a day for half an hour each time. We also fasted. There was one thing, though, that he brought to the retreat that made a huge difference to my quest. He had a recording of Bill Hybels explaining the concept of “Holy Discontent”. I think it was just a trigger in my case. In your case the trigger can be something different. The fact is, I emerged from the retreat utterly convinced that my calling was “Leading everyone in my influence-sphere to life-fulfilment”.

In order to help you in discovering your calling, you can consider the help of a mentor. You can also read books and articles that can help you to understand yourself better (your values, your strengths, what you would like to contribute to life as well as your limiting beliefs). Probably the most useful book I have read on the subject of discovering who you are, is “Finding Square Holes” by Anita Houghton. It is simple and to the point. It has wonderful short exercises to help you. The writer, who is a qualified medical doctor and a personal development coach, has lots of experience and excellent insight into the subject. A must read.

Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

Philippians 4:6‭-‬7 CEV

How does it look? 

So how do you express your calling in words? It is a simple statement that expresses a deep longing in your heart for what you were made to contribute to the Kingdom of God in this world. To be more specific, your life-mission or calling is a brief and bold big idea that best captures today what God made you to contribute to the world. 

• It’s brief: Stay between six and 12 words
• It’s bold: Declare something that fires you up. It is God-sized. It cannot be accomplished without the help of God. 
• It needs to include your enthusiasms for life. If you have no passion for your calling, then it isn’t really your calling. 
• It’s big: Account for every relationship, domain or “compartment” of your life. It should encompass most aspects of your life, not just your work.
• Write it down now, as it stands today, even though it may improve over time. 
• Describe the task you are driven to, that your unique combination of strengths and values empowers you to do. 
• It’s about doing. It’s about what I should be doing today, rather than what I should become one day. 

Knowing your calling enables you to put in words, to explain, why God has put you on earth. It will inspire and energise you to apply all your strengths to make the contribution to life that you were born for.