How Do We Live By The Bible - Calling?

One of the great questions for each one of us is, what is God calling us to do with our lives?  Do we have a grand, overarching purpose for our life or are we called to something much smaller.   Either way, how can we understand what God wants to do with us anyway?

Commit to the Lord
·         Psalm 37:4-5,7 NIV
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes
·         The first step should be to commit to the Lord
o   Once we are under his guidance, we can be molded & shaped
o   Because of our free will, we can reject Him & His ways
o   But that leads to a life of futility
** Like a rebellious child **
·         ‘God has structured reality so that when he is honored first and foremost, satisfaction comes as a byproduct’

Understand your gifts
·         1 Corinthians 12: 7-11
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues
·         Our gifts are for the common good
o   We are all uniquely gifted
o   We have a role to play in God’s grand design
o   Do you know yourself?
·         Gifts are irrevocable
o   Romans 11:29
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable

Know there are seasons
·         Philippians 4:11-14
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me
·         We are to be content no matter the season
o   A lack of contentment is an indicator that you are falling away from God
·         His calling for us will be predicated by our maturity
o   1 Corinthians 3:1-3
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
o   How can you lead people farther than you’ve been yourself?
·         The two work hand and hand
o   Our calling right now is heavily based on both our season of life & our maturity
·         So most of us won’t have an overarching calling

o   ** Missionaries Example **