Finding Your Calling

Recognizing our partnership with God, as described in the previous post, should not mean that we consider God or the universe as a vending machine where we put our prayers and intentions in and selfishly get back what we want. Rather, we should look at it as following our god-given calling to serve humanity in the way God intended using the talents God has given us. For example, the Bible says, "Delight yourself also in the LORD; and he shall give you the desires of your heart." 


You can understand this passage two ways: (1) God will give you what your heart selfishly desires, or (2) God will put into your heart what to desire, and you will then fulfill his will and calling by pursuing that desire. I prefer to think of the way the universe works as the latter. This makes discovering and following our god-given calling a great humanitarian adventure. 


Often the adventure includes some interesting and difficult detours that are part of our life-learning experience. However, as much as we are able, we need to remember that the challenges are all for the sake of our learning and finding the right direction. The sooner we understand the lesson in each challenge and accept it, the sooner we can move on. 


Because life's challenges and detours can be many, it's easy to get distracted and miss our calling at any given phase or even for our entire life. For this reason, it can be helpful to use the tools available to counselors and career consultants. Typically, these include personality tests, personal values inventories, interest inventories, and guided career research and exploration. Many of these tests are available free online or for a very low fee.


By taking personality tests and cross referencing the results to labor codes from the US Department of Labor, we can find lists of professions suitable to an individual's personality at this time in life. For some people this may be a new concept. Here's how it works: Career researchers have found that specific jobs attract certain personality types who feel most fulfilled and satisfied when doing those types of jobs. For example, people who like order and structure tend to like jobs such as accounting, law, science, and engineering--jobs where orderliness and rules are built into the work. People who are sociable tend to like jobs helping people, such as teaching, social work, receptionist, pastor, and so on. And people who are creative tend to want to be artists, writers, graphic designers, interior designers, and other professions that allow creativity.


Among the better known tests are the Myers-Briggs personality test resulting in a four-letter type code (MBT), the Self-Directed Search personality test resulting in a Holland Code, the Strong Interest Inventory, and the O-NET series of tests. All of these tests will tell you valuable information about your personality that you can then match up with lists of professions that would be a good fit for you. Of course, in addition to tests, there's a certain amount of introspection, prayer, and followup investigation of the possible careers to do. By testing and investigating in this way, you can find the kind of work you are currently called to do based on who you are at this stage in your life. When you do find and follow your calling, you will receive greater satisfaction in your work than you thought possible and you will be serving yourself, God, and others to the best of your ability by doing the job or business you were made for.

Chuck Petch (chuckpetch.com)