Our calendars can fill up quickly.  But it’s easy to feel empty in the midst of a full life if there’s no sense of purpose in the busyness.  Is the whole of life more meaningful that the sum of its parts?

What we choose to do in life is important, but why we choose to do it matters too.  We can be slaves to circumstance, to feelings, or to what others might think.  We can look at the daily schedule as simply passing the time until we get to something better in life.  Or we can approach life as an ongoing occasion to be good stewards of what we’ve been given.  We can be intentional in our responsibilities and relationships and be on the lookout for the opportunities where we can best put our gifts to work.  That’s what it means to discern and pursue our callings.  With that outlook, our everyday duties and activities contribute like a paycheck into a lifetime account of contentment. 

To Be Called Means Life Is Not Just About Us and Our Self-Actualization

When life planning begins with personal fulfillment as its principal objective, it is unlikely to achieve that goal.  Yet that’s exactly what much contemporary counsel for women suggests that we d  fulfill ourselves through work, fulfill ourselves through mothering, or fulfill ourselves through a combination of both.  The advice often boils down to a tail-chasing pursuit of self-actualization.

To look at life as a set of callings from God is a radically different perspective than that of self-fulfillment.  Life isn’t about finding ourselves; it’s about glorifying God.  When we’re focused on living purposefully by following God through our personal callings, we’re less likely to be distracted by the yo-yo effect of current fads about how to find fulfillment. 

Our callings in life are from God and for others.  Our talents are to be used in obedience to God rather than in self-aggrandizement.  Ultimately, nothing brings greater personal satisfaction than pursuing our callings for His eternal purposes.

A Sense of Callings Connects Our Pleasure with God’s Pleasure

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him,” says Christian teacher John Piper.  Linking God’s glory to our satisfaction sounds like some epicurean “eat, drink, and be merry” philosophy.  Carpe diem.  Could that be Christian?

Living by callings means that we are living in the paths that God created for us.  We are seizing today to make the most of the opportunities God has given us in this moment.  By answering His call in these ways we show esteem for God.  Honoring God, in turn, brings us pleasure—just as we take joy in honoring those we love here on earth.

To live by callings means to take pleasure in seeking God, knowing Him, and worshipping Him.  This leads to greater appreciation of His character, His company, and His work.