Greetings to you all in Jesus’ name.

One of the most important question that we can ask ourselves is: Does God have a purpose for my life? Well, the scriptures are very clear. God calls each one of us for a purpose. Do you know what your calling is? I would like to suggest a few clues that you can follow that may lead you to understand what your calling might be. Some have wondered what ministry they can do. Here are some suggestions.

1. Previous Experiences. What has God given you in the past to equip you? What are your skills? What are your experiences? Who did you work with? What did you do? David had bears and lions before Goliath. Moses had training and exposure in Egypt. Paul knew everything about the Law. Your previous life experiences may give you some clue as to where God want you to go. For example, if you hate any international food, or hate traveling outside of the USA or just cannot learn another language, most likely, you were not called to be a missionary. But then of course, people can change. Sometimes God does call us to things that are uncomfortable.

2. Present Circumstances. Where do you work presently? Who are the people you meet? What church do you go to? Where do you live? Most likely, where you are right now, is not your own doing alone. Most of the time, God has a hand in where we are presently. Present circumstances may also change. Jesus called Peter, James and Andrew out of their fishing business and made them fishers of men.

3. Personal Gifts, Talents, Skills. This is one of the more obvious clues that will enable us to connect to our life’s true calling. The better acquainted you are with the spiritual gifts God has given you the better. There are tests one can take to find these out. But one effective way is to ask at least 4 members what they think your gifts are. Members know you. You probably also know what your gifts are. It is those things that you are happy to do and comfortable in doing them. However, comfort is not a good clue. As I mentioned God’s calling is often uncomfortable.

4. Prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is with rare exception that God does not provide us with meaningful direction and guidance at the critical junctures of our life. This is true especially when we make important life decisions. The most important aspect of this clue is not whether the Holy Spirit prompts or guides us, but whether we are willing and able to discern his promptings when they come.

5. Personal Passions. Another vital clue that can bring clarity to our search for God’s calling is the kind of passion God have given us. Our personal passions involve those issues, subjects, practices, and institutions for which we have an ardent affection. When we sense an intense, driving, almost overmastering concern in our life for a certain thing, it is likely that the object of that concern if for us a passion. Ministry flows out of our being. On the other hand there are passions that are contrary to God’s calling. King Solomon had passion for architecture, women and wealth. You know what happened.

6. Personal Counseling. This is getting wise counsel from others that are more experienced and mature than we are. God can and will speak to us through the wise counselors if we are willing to hear their message. We need to make sure that we don’t seek only those counselors who we feel will tell us what we want to hear in the first place.

My friends, you have a purpose. Go to God and seek His will for you. Listen to Him and be sensitive to what He has been doing in your life and what He is telling you today.