How many times do we step back and ask ourselves, ‘What am I called to do?’ We wrestle with daily decisions, routine decisions, and life altering decisions that hinge on this question. But, what if it is the wrong question? Listen to this quote from Os Guiness:

“We are not primarily called to do something or go somewhere; we are called to Someone. We are not called first to special work but to God. The key to answering the call is to be devoted to no one and to nothing above God himself.”[1]

I think that we can spend inordinate amounts of time trying to figure out what we are called to, while missing the obvious Who we are called to. How much time do we spend day dreaming about what we would rather be doing, or conducting online searches for potential job changes or vacation escapes? Not that any of those things are bad, unless they are out of proportion to the amount of time we are investing in our growing relationship with the God Who is calling us to Himself.

Our primary focus is on living as a disciple of Jesus Christ in any circumstance. Of course, being a disciple means that we are also a disciple-maker. No matter our specific vocation when it comes to work, our primary calling is to be growing in our own relationship with Jesus Christ and nurturing others in their walk with Jesus.

The result is a need to address our spiritual and emotional health. In order to live out the “what” of our specific calling, or to even discern what that calling might be, it is imperative that we are healthy. Rather than agonizing over calling decisions as a first step, our first step should be engaging in healthy practices that draw us closer to God Himself.

We will be hearing more about healthy practices over the weeks ahead. In particular, we will be catching updates about specific initiatives to encourage healthy leaders in healthy churches. Please be on the lookout for upcoming discussions about healthy living and the Stephanie Sholtz Wellness Fund.

Restored for a purpose,

Carl Greene

Executive Director, Seventh Day Baptist General Conference, USA and Canada  

[1] Guiness, Os. 2003. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 42.