Finding Meaning In God’s Calling

[cappie]

 People often ask: “what will I do with my life?” And: “who will I love?”

 

Like most people in contemporary Australian culture, they tend to think of these questions in terms of identity formation. But “identity” is often part and parcel with our culture’s individualism and consumerism. In the minds of most Australians, my “identity” is something that fits my preferences, something that I choose for myself. But this is not the most helpful way of thinking about Christian discipleship. Instead, we need to move beyond the language of identity to the more fundamental language of vocation, the language of God’s call. The real questions should be: “What is God calling me to do?” And: “Who is God calling me to love?”

 

As Christians, we believe that God gives each person gifts. Along with our gifts, He also calls us to build up the Body of Christ in some particular way. Both in the New Testament, and in subsequent Christian thinking, the question of calling is closely connected with both what we will do and who we will love.

 

Everyone wants a meaningful life. The good news that we have to share with the world is that each person can find this life in using the gifts that God has given us to fulfill our vocation in life and to love the people whom God calls us to love.

 

When Christians discuss “sexual ethics” today, they often focus, like the Pharisees, on rules: what is permitted? What is forbidden?

 

You can’t have a vocation of No.”

 

But Jesus shifts the focus from rules to vocation.

 

The more seriously we take marriage, single life, and vowed celibacy as callings, as the way of life within which God Himself asks me to share my gifts and respond to His call, the more seriously we will take the requirements of that way of life: fidelity in marriage, abstinence in singleness. So to shift from talking about sexual ethics to talking about vocation and communion does not mean downplaying or ignoring sexual ethics. Instead, it places those questions in their true context.

 

However, if we think in this way, then the first questions we ask about any person are: what gifts has God given this person? How does He call them? And this, of course, applies to ourselves, as well: what gifts has God given me? What does God call me to do? In what way of life does He call me to share my gifts? God gives every person  various gifts to build up the Church in different ways.

 

[TheresaThoma]

Thanks for sharing this reflection I found it very helpful!

[Spem in alium]

I loved this. Thank you for sharing! :)

[BarbTherese]

A beautiful text and contribution to the Vocation Forum!

Sometimes one can have boundaries in life put in place by God.  We can either view this negatively as can't do this, can't do that because of boundaries or impediments.  Or one can view them in their positive light as God expressing His Will as "not this or not that, not here and not there" and very clearly indeed - which does open up for one doors one may not have considered were these impediments not in place.  It is wonderful to think and know that one could choose any vocation dependant on gender of course.  And then the fact of gender itself is an indication of "not this or not that, not here and not there" leaving other doors open, eliminating some only.  If I do have the necessary gifts for any vocation for my gender, it is indeed a wonderful thought - a smorgasbord as it were of vocations to choose from.  Sometimes, however, God wants to more directly and clearly indicate His Own Divine Will and Desire for a life by taking a few 'dishes off the menu' :) via impediments.  I can either view impediments positively or quite negatively.   I can view impediment or impediments as God Preventing, or God Giving, Gifting.

 

What am I seeking : my will or the Will of God?

Edited July 10, 2013 by BarbaraTherese