Myths We Believe (Part 4/5)

There is a lot of talk about “calling” these days, but my experiences have taught me that much of it is mythical. As I learned to follow the inkling I believe God gave me, I had to dispel five prevalent myths that threaten to keep us all from discovering our callings. Last post, I wrote about the myth “My Calling Must Be Grandiose” and how we often wait for something bigger and better when our calling is simple and right in front of us. Here is the fourth myth:

Myth #4: “My Calling Means Doing One Thing for the Rest of My Life”

This myth will often paralyze someone who is searching for purpose. It’s hard to commit when you assume it’s a once-for-all-time decision. But most people know instictively that this isn’t the way calling works. A modern college graduate, for example, can expect to live in various places, pursue a range of goals, and have several careers throughout his or her life.

Since calling is more than a job, when you clarify your calling, you may find many ways to live that out. I’ve been a professor at a university, an executive coach, a church pastor, and a social entrepreneur. These have all been legitimate ways to express my calling. We must remember that calling isn’t a life sentence.

The question “If you could do one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?” doesn’t help here. Sure, it can lead you to a passion or your calling, but don’t let it create a fear in you that stops you from pursuing that calling. In the same way, don’t be afraid to stop doing what you thought you would do the rest of your life if it stands in the way of your calling. Passions change, your calling can change, you have time, you have the rest of your life.

Do you find yourself living in fear that your calling means forever?

Up Next: Myth #5: “Ministy Is A Higher Calling”

If you related to this article at all, I encourage you to check out my book, Be You. Do Good. of which this was an excerpt from.