Are you “called” to write? What does that even mean? How would a person know for sure?

“Calling” can be a confusing idea. In different kinds of churches, the word can mean different things. While we might use the word a little bit differently, the concept is usually the same, “Does God have a special job just for you?”

I have three methods I recommend to discern your calling. But before we talk about “calling,” we must first understand that our primary calling is to follow Jesus. That’s the most important thing.

We’ll find our “calling” (our special job) by surrendering ourselves completely to God. We present ourselves to Him and say, “Here’s everything that I am. I’ll do whatever you want to do.” (Romans 6:13)

God wants you most of all. Your talents are secondary, and God doesn’t need you to do anything. His plan will be just fine with or without you.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Notice how this passage TWICE emphasizes that your salvation is not a result of what you’re doing. It says, “this is not your own doing,” and then repeats itself “not a result of works.”

If you are fully surrendered to Jesus, everything is going to be just fine. You really can’t go wrong.

But we can also take verse 10 as truth. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

God created you for good work, and He has specific things in mind for you. He’s been waiting for you to fully surrender yourself to Him so that He can incorporate you into His plan.

The Greek word that’s translated “works” in this passage is “ergon”. When we see “good works” we often think of good deeds, but this word ergon usually just means work—like a job. These “good works” aren’t just some nice little things you’re supposed to do, your ergon is your vocation, your job, your career.

God made you with an important job in mind.  That doesn’t mean you’ll get paid for it. It might be a volunteer ministry job that you do in addition to your regular paid work. But he has stuff for you to do.

The Bible is clear that God has stuff for you to do. So how will you know what it is? I see three models in the Bible.

1. You may receive your calling through a supernatural experience.

Paul was travelling on the road to Damascus when Jesus knocked him off his donkey, blinded him, and spoke to him from heaven. Moses was walking in the desert when he saw that burning bush that was not consumed.

This is usually what we think of first when we think of receiving a “calling” from God. We’re waiting for a big, supernatural experience. Maybe an angel will come or we’ll see Jesus himself. Maybe we’ll hear a voice from heaven or have a really cool dream.

God can and does still do those kinds of things. If God makes it that clear to you, that’s wonderful! However, in my experience, God’s calling isn’t usually as grand and dramatic as we might hope. It is uncommon to hear a voice from heaven.

Just because you haven’t had a big supernatural experience doesn’t mean that you don’t have a calling.

Your supernatural experience could be as simple as a consistent tug on your heart you feel in prayer.

2. Your calling may be recognized by trusted mature believers in close community.

It’s part of the job of the community of believers to recognize and call out each other’s callings. This process is often part natural and part hearing God.

There are many examples of this in the Bible. In Acts 6, the apostles needed help. So they picked people to help them. Acts 6:3 says “Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.” They prayed and they made good decisions, it was as simple as that.

In 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul tells Timothy, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands…” Paul was important in the calling of Timothy to his work.

It’s my job (and your job too!) to pray for people in my community. If God tells you something and directs you to share it with that person, you should humbly tell them.

If someone tells you something about your life, it’s OK to consider that person’s fruit. Does this person’s life look like Jesus? If not, does he at least seem to be becoming more like Jesus? Does he have a good history of saying prophetic things (things that he says God told him often turn out to be right)?

You’re not being unfair. Sometimes people are wrong. God talked to Balaam through a donkey, so it’s not foolproof. But this is part of being discerning.

Sometimes this job of recognizing callings is less hearing God’s voice, sometimes it’s just practical observations with our natural eyes. It’s our job to observe and to call out each other’s gifts.

“Hey, you’re a really confident public speaker.”

“Hey, you’re good with kids. They really listen to you.”

“Hey, I’m always glad when you’re helping with events. Everything goes smoother when you’re here.”

“I’ve noticed how you tend to draw people together and help them get to know each other.”

3. Your calling may be at the intersection of the passions and talents God has given you

God made you on purpose. He made you good at things. When you’re filled with the Holy Spirit, He will also give you supernatural gifts (things you couldn’t do without Him). He’s also placed you in a family, in a time and place, and filled you with experience that is useful.

Moses was placed in Pharoah’s household. He knew everybody and how things worked. Who better to represent the Israelites?

Before David killed goliath, he was a shepherd and he practiced by killing the lion and the bear. (1 Samuel 17:34-36) Before David became king he served in the house of Saul. Do you think he learned anything while he was there?

We could go on and on with examples from the Bible of people who were given special talents and also given experiences to develop those talents.

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:3-8)

We each have different gifts. Let us use them.

What did God make you good at? What do you love to do?

Most importantly, what did God make you good at that intersects with the love and compassion he has filled you with?

God made me a good writer and a good teacher. It also breaks my heart when I see young people without direction, and it torments me when talented people with good ideas are paralyzed by fear. That makes me a good fit for what I do—helping writers step into their gifts.

Not everything you’re good at or that you like to do is a calling. But God made you. Is something that you’re good at a seed He planted so that He could grow it and use it later?

Many callings are a combination of all three of these things.

1. Mystical experience.
2. Affirmed by your community of believers.
3. A logical combination of your talents and experiences.

When I say “mystical” in this context, I just mean an experience with God that can’t be entirely explained by logic and reasoning.

Your mystical experience could be as simple as “There’s this thing I frequently find myself thinking about when I pray.” It could be something that God draws your attention to everywhere you go, or something that makes you cry for no reason. It could be something that people tend to say to you without even thinking about it.

I wouldn’t quit my job and blow up my life based on any of those things alone. But if mature believers in my life are prophetically or practically confirming that same passion in my life, and if it’s also consistent with things that I am good at (or could be good at if I applied myself), then it could very well be a “calling.”

Back in 2018, before I started the ministry that would eventually become The Company, I experienced all three of these things.

1. I was seeking direction in my life and was sorting out a pull I was feeling towards full-time ministry. I had been fasting and praying. I very clearly sensed the Lord giving me the idea for this ministry. I didn’t hear an audible voice, but it was like the plan arrived fully formed in my mind in a way that I couldn’t have done and I’ve learned to recognize as God.
2. I took that to believers that I trusted. I said “I don’t want practical advice, I just want you to pray and help me make sure I’m not crazy.” Another believer that I trust to hear from the Lord but had no knowledge of this spontaneously came up to me and confirmed everything that I had heard.
3. The calling was indeed consistent with my skills, life experiences, and temperament. It has required great growth (and still growing) to do this, but the pieces were reasonable.

Your story will be different. You might see some combination of those three methods like I did, but your story may emphasize something that mine doesn’t. You might not experience one of them at all!

There might not be anything supernatural about it at all. It could be as simple as God gave you talents, and believers you trust confirm that you have those talents.

We do our best to be humble and to hear God. Then all we can do is try.

If we’re right, awesome. If we’re wrong, then we’re in a wonderful position to learn.

When we think we have a calling, we have to give it 100%. There’s no dipping your toe in the water, you’re either in or out or it’s not a fair trial.

Sometimes you’ll get it wrong. But I’ve learned that God will use that too. You’re not going to miss it and wreck your life. God is infinite. If you strike out now, he has another perfect plan. And another. And another.

What He’s looking for is a life surrendered to Him.

Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

I love this verse because I think it’s kind of funny. It’s sort of a trap.

Does it really mean that if I delight myself in the Lord He’ll give me everything I want? Yes, it definitely means exactly that!

But here’s the catch: If I truly delight myself in the Lord, what am I going to want?

Answer: more of the Lord. It’s the only thing I’ll want.

When we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will lavishly give of Himself to us.

Our “calling” is always to Jesus. That never changes. Start there, giving Him everything that you have for WHATEVER He wants to do.

Do your best to hear His voice, with FAITH that God does indeed have a special job for you.

Not all of our special jobs will be glamorous. Whatever it is, it’ll probably look a lot like work.

But when we surrender, when we delight in Him, the work is worth it.

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Are you called to write? How did you know? Tell us! in the comments below!

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