It Begins With A Calling

Every pastor, every servant of God, starts in the same place: with a call. Not a career plan. Not a personal ambition. Not because it looked like a good fit on paper. No, the call of God is deeper, weightier, and more unshakable than that.

Romans 11:29 says it plainly: “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn” (NLT). That means if God has called you, it wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t temporary. He hasn’t changed His mind about you, even if you’ve doubted yourself, struggled with discouragement, or felt like walking away.

 Think back to when you first sensed God’s call. Maybe it was in a church service, maybe on a quiet night in prayer, maybe when you were reading His Word and something inside you burned with a fire you couldn’t explain. That was no accident. That was the voice of the living God putting His hand on you and saying, “This is why I made you.”

 But let’s be honest: ministry is hard. Life has a way of clouding that call. Criticism stings. Finances get tight. People leave. The work feels endless, and the fruit sometimes looks small. In those moments, it’s easy to forget why you started. It’s easy to wonder if you misunderstood God in the first place.

 Here’s the truth: your call is not about circumstances. It’s not about applause or results. It’s about obedience. The same God who called you knew every obstacle you’d face. He called you anyway.

 Think about Samuel. As a boy, he didn’t even recognize God’s voice until Eli helped him. But once he learned to say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10, NLT), his entire life was shaped by that moment of calling. Or think about Paul. Beaten, imprisoned, betrayed, yet he said, “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24, NLT). His call gave him courage no chains could silence.

Your calling is the anchor God gave you to hold steady when the storms rage. When you remember the call, you’ll find strength you didn’t know you had. When you return to that moment when God spoke, you’ll rediscover your “why,” and it will carry you through seasons when your “how” doesn’t make sense.

 Reflection for Today: Take a few quiet minutes and remember your calling. Write it down in your journal. Pray it back to God: “Lord, You called me. You haven’t changed Your mind.” Keep that written reminder where you’ll see it daily. Because when you never forget why you lead, you’ll always find the strength to keep leading.