How do I Know if I’m Called?
Clark Miller, missionary with Global Outreach Developments International in The Philippines, writes on the concept of calling, including his personal story of … not much of a calling, just obedience.
Have You Been Called?
“Have I been called by God?” This one has spun a lot of young Chistians into deep thought. They focus on it, pray about it, wrestle with it, and even lose sleep wondering whether or not they have been called by God. If this question goes unanswered for too long, they may eventually stop trying to find the answer and give into the pulling assumption they were only ever meant to be the same as everyone else. Some may even believe they are not special to God because they felt he was silent when they were trying to hear from him. Or maybe they’ve asked God for a sign to see whether or not they are called, and have actively searched wondering if disconnected happenings were actually a message from God.
The Institute for G.O.D. provides mission experiences as a part of their undergraduate experience. These mission experiences allow students to explore their responsibility on the other side of being called to help.
How can you know for certain if we are called by God?
When trying to answer a God-related question such as “have I been called by God?”, the best place to turn is always the Bible. He has already spoken, so we don’t need to resort to interpreting events as messages from God. (Or at least, any events we interpret must pass through the filter of God’s word to be authoritative.) He already gave us his Word - it needs to be our source.
While the path may be narrow, Jesus clearly states many have been called to it (Matthew 22:14). So if you are wondering about whether or not you have been called, well, you probably have been. Just by spending enough time to seriously consider the question is likely a sign you are called. There are many who won’t give it a second thought and many more who will never even hear it.
Some people know what God wants them to do, but continue to ask God for signs as proof. But if you need proof, you’re lacking faith which is a necessary component in pleasing God, after all, it’s impossible to please God without it (Hebrews 11:6). Draw near to God and he will draw near to you (James 4:8) - don’t sit waiting for him to call you near. Some people may have a profound experience, while others may not have much of a story at all, the important thing to remember is not to compare your calling to others. Regardless of how dramatic or un-dramatic the moment was, it contained a similar element: a prompting to do something selfless in imitation of Jesus' example or response to God's Word.
Clark Miller is a missionary in The Philippines with Global Outreach Developments, International. He received his training and initial mission experiences at The Institute for G.O.D. He and his wife run a youth center and serve regularly in jails in Tacloban.
I have been a missionary for 8 years, and I did not experience anything out of the ordinary to help me identify as one who has been “called.”
In my attempt to pursue God, I went to a Bible college where God continued to reveal himself as he worked among the amazing people who were laboring to advance his kingdom. Even without a defining moment or concrete sureness as to what the next step was, I moved forward in an attempt to do what God wanted. Now, years later I continue to serve in ministry and get to watch God move, something that never would have happened had I waited for an audible voice or shining light.
Remember that silence isn’t always a no. It’s possible to hear God in the silence. Consider Elijah’s story. It wasn’t in the wind, earthquake, or fire where Elijah heard God, but in the silence (I Kings 19:11-13). Maybe when you’re waiting on God for assurance, he’s waiting on you to step out in faith. This doesn’t mean there aren’t times or people who will hear something special from God, but it’s not a requirement. After all, “blessed is he who believes and does not see” (John 20:29).
As children of God, we should be pursuing what it is we know he wants, and not waiting for him to ask us. He’s already made it clear in his Word what he wants from us: to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with him (Micah 6:8). Just by turning on the news, we can see that there is a lack of justice and kindness, often because there is a lack of people who have committed to walking humbly with God. The singer Keith Greene reversed the idea of being called during one of his concerts, and asked the crowd to raise their hands if they felt called by God not to go. He prefaced with this: “You don’t need to hear a call, you’re already called. In fact, if you stay home from going out into all the nations, you better be able to say to God, ‘you called me to stay home’” (Keith Greene, Jesus West Coast ‘82).
00:04:50 - “You don’t need to hear a call- you’re already called!”
So I’m Called…Now What?
After stating “many are called,” Jesus finishes the statement by saying “but few are chosen.” So if you have been called by God we must then consider what it means to be chosen (Matthew 22:14). While some will hear “chosen” and immediately think “elect,” we can’t divorce this saying from the story it follows, which has little to do with “election” in the modern conception. To quickly summarize this parable, a king prepares a wedding feast which the intended guests refuse to attend, causing him to call out to anyone who would come. However, during the wedding feast, one guest wears clothing inappropriate for the occasion and is thrown out; after this, Jesus makes the statement. In light of the parable’s context, to be chosen seems to be dependent on the willingness of those heeding the call to conform to the expectations of the king.
If you are called, then you have to prepare yourself. If we want to be a part of the chosen laborers of God, we need to change, be clothed in appropriate attire, submitting ourselves to the way God wants his will done on the earth. After all, it’s his kingdom we are trying to advance, so it would be arrogant to promote it according to our own understanding. So if we want to be a part of those who are chosen, we need to choose to do what it is God wants. This requires a careful study of his Word. Those who are called should prepare themselves by baptizing themselves in a Biblical education, to ensure they are abiding by the way of the King.
Being called implies being trained. When Jesus told his disciples “Follow Me” it was into discipleship. Without it, none of us can be prepared to be a laborer in the harvest.
Called for What?
Being called does not mean God’s expecting you to become a charismatic leader. While we often highlight some of the leading roles of people like Moses or Elijah, we shouldn’t downplay the importance of the community surrounding them: Moses had Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, and 70 elders. Paul had Timothy, Priscilla, Aquila, Luke, and more. God has never called an individual to save the world–even his Son chose twelve others to join him on mission. The majority of us won’t spearhead a movement for God, however, to be an effective member of a God movement, we’ll have to “drop our nets and follow Jesus” – gaining the biblical education required to join his team.
You don’t have to be a Moses figure to be called by God. You don’t have to live in a hut in the middle of a jungle to advance his kingdom. But, you do have to be willing to undergo the necessary education to know what it is he wants from you. You have to put on the wedding clothes. If we neglect an immersive study of his Word then it will be impossible to know if we are doing things according to the way he has called us to. Jesus said people will do mighty works in God’s name, but then are called workers of lawlessness (Matthew 7:22-23). Why? Because it’s not about doing things in His name; it’s about doing things His way. We learn his way through his Word.
If you are trying to deepen your relationship with God, consider enrolling in a Bible class. The Institute offers both in-person and on-line classes to allow you to enroll no matter where you are. If you already know you’re called to be a part of God’s team on mission in the world, apply for their full program. It worked for me.
