The Bible defines our spiritual calling as being saved and living for God. That means having an attitude of reverence and love for the Lord, prioritizing His kingdom, discipling others in Christ, and showing God’s love to others.
The Bible presents many examples of prophets whom God called for specific purposes, such as leading, warning, and saving His people (Exodus 3:10–12; Jonah 1:1–2; Isaiah 6:8–9; Luke 3:2–3). Besides those whom God called for special service, all believers have a spiritual calling expressed in the pages of Scripture. We’re to manifest reverential fear of the Lord (Ecclesiastes 12:13; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Philippians 2:12). Additionally, no matter what circumstances believers find themselves in, we must prioritize God’s kingdom (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 6:33). The Bible presents historical figures, such as Moses, Daniel, and Esther, who put God’s kingdom above their elevated worldly positions (Esther 4:16; Daniel 6:10; Hebrews 11:24–26). The New Testament emphasizes believers’ duty to disciple others in the truth (Matthew 28:19–20; 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 2:3–5). According to the Bible, our spiritual calling includes showing the love of the Lord by helping others (Deuteronomy 15:11; Proverbs 19:17; Matthew 25:35–36; Galatians 6:9–10; James 1:27). As the Bible teaches, we all have a spiritual calling.
“Not my job”—ever heard that phrase? Even if we wouldn’t say that to someone, we tend to think of our jobs as having specific duties and forget about the part of the job description that stated, “other duties as assigned.” Everyday Christians, who may not hold the office of pastor, deacon, or even Bible study leader, still have “other duties as assigned,” which Scripture describes. For instance, we’re all called to witness about Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20; 1 Peter 3:15). This doesn’t just take place at official church events; we have the same opportunity at our jobs, in the line at the grocery store, and during phone calls with a customer service representative. Why wouldn’t we feel pulled to share with others what we have? Our spiritual calling also includes helping others. This means more than just saying, “I’ll pray for you” (though we should always pray for others!). It means bringing a sick brother or sister a meal, driving an elderly parishioner to church on Sundays, and putting some extra money in the donation plate for a stranger whose family home burned down (James 2:14–16). Christians have a spiritual calling to do that which manifests our love for the Lord and the priority we place on His kingdom. As the Bible teaches, we all have spiritual callings that are to be lived out in whatever specific callings God has placed in our lives, such as jobs, situations we face, and relationships we have.