God's Plan For Your WellbeingVoorbeeld

Vocational wellbeing

A great biblical example of someone who lived his life with the overall purpose of serving the Lord as well as fulfilling his specific calling was, of course, the prophet Elijah. With the very first words that we hear him declaring – ‘As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve...’ (1 Kings 17:1) – it’s evident that he knew that his purpose came from being in relationship with and serving God. Both before and after his burnout in 1 Kings 19, Elijah fulfilled his unique role as a national prophet, called to boldly declare God’s will at a time of spiritual and moral decline. 

There were others, however, who still served God but in their own specific way. For example, there is the unnamed servant of Elijah, who was presumably called to support the prophet. There is also another interesting character in the story, a man called Obadiah. He also loved God but, unlike Elijah, stayed within the court, working very effectively from inside the system as the palace administrator – and in the process he successfully hid and saved a hundred other prophets from Jezebel’s murderous clutches. Both the servant and Obadiah played different but vital supporting roles. Each fulfilled their own unique calling without needing to become prophets. There is no sacred or secular division within the Bible, with those involved in ‘full-time’ Christian ministry somehow more important than those who are fulfilling their calling in different ways – whether that be within the family, the workplace, the community or the local church. 

Discovering our own unique calling might be a lifelong process, and over the years I have sought God for His clarity and confirmation as to my specific pathway. But there are also a number of different personality profiles that you may find really helpful. What is important is to think as broadly as possible. 

As you begin to think about your specific life purpose, here are a few final thoughts: 

• Know that you are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14), and that you have a life pathway that is unique to you. Once again, let me encourage you not to fall into the comparison trap. Don’t evaluate yourself by what you may consider to be other people’s seemingly more glamorous or important callings. Your calling is the best one for you!
   
• Take a holistic approach that includes your work, your studies, your family life, and your broader responsibility to serving your church or community.
   
• Recognise that finding your life purpose is almost always a journey of discovery that includes a process of extensive self-assessment and experimentation, consultation with others and revelation from God.
   
• Understand that you may be fulfilling your vocation right now – but, as he discovered, you may have a different or even ultimate calling that lies somewhere else in the future. 

Knowing our God-given purpose, and living it out, is the birthright of every born-again child of God: ‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do’ (Ephesians 2:10).  

To find out more about the book God's Plan for Your Wellbeing by Dave Smith or to purchase a copy, click/tap here.