Some say that calling is “where your passion and the world’s deepest hunger meet.” I’ve always loved this definition, don’t get me wrong, but what bothers me is who wouldn’t?! In a sense it gives you permission to go after whatever you want and call it following God. I’ve struggled for a while now trying to figure out if I agree with it or not. I feel selfish just making a ministry out of what I love.
Since these wonderings about calling I have since become much more hopeful that this is actually true. I heard the story of Mother Teresa wondering how to know where God wants her to go. Her bishop gave her the answer of following joy. This may seem selfish at first, but look where her Christ like joy got her! Second, one of our guests in class said that life is too short to have a job you don’t love. He is working with youth who are homeless. Finally, in class today we learned about what a great ministry tool your own passions can be. Bringing your passions outside of the church it’s a great way to meet non-Christians in a natural way. Then your ministry happens in daily life interactions having to do with your passion!
I wonder if we have made ministry harder than it has to be. If everyone just did what they love to do and didn’t separate themselves inside the church.. if we truly lived in the world, but lived ‘in it’ in a ‘not of it’ kind of way, think of the natural and genuine ministry that could happen!
I think that Joy is one very valuable aspect of calling, one that God likely uses to help us to discover what are callings are, as well as to sustain us through the difficult times.
Also, though, I think that calling also inclues pain, even suffering – like the guest whom you mentioned above – I think he also said that his vocation has been the greatest joy as well as sorrow of his life.
Ultimately it is what God uses to shape us to be conformed to the image of his son. We can experience this in both joy and hardship.
It is great when we discover that our calling gives us great joy. In my experience when I first experienced a calling to the ministry and then to church planting, it was a horrifying thought – something I would never want to do. But over time I have found that I get much more joy out of this than what I was pursuing before.
I’m also reminded though of the stories of many in the old testament for whom their callings were not a life giving or joyful venture and want to be careful though that the way that I define calling doesn’t exclude their experience.