{"id":7560,"date":"2020-02-28T11:22:04","date_gmt":"2020-02-28T17:22:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedisciplemaker.org\/?p=7560"},"modified":"2020-02-28T11:22:04","modified_gmt":"2020-02-28T17:22:04","slug":"eight-natural-means-that-god-uses-to-call-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.navpress.com\/sites\/thedisciplemaker\/2020\/02\/eight-natural-means-that-god-uses-to-call-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"Eight Natural Means that God Uses to Call Leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Throughout the Bible, we see God use multiple methods to call leaders. For Moses, it was a burning bush. For Samuel, it was a voice in the night. For Esther, it was the wisdom of a family member. For Saul-turned-Paul, it was the confirmation of other apostles.
\nGod also uses a variety of means today, including both supernatural <\/em>and natural<\/em> means.ii<\/sup> For missionary and author Elizabeth Elliot, supernatural methods can include visible or audible signs, angels, dreams and visions, and prophets.iii<\/sup> While these means are less familiar to many of us today, God can and still does use them, and we must be open to the possibility of this type of communication regarding our calling. Contemporary leaders have heard God through dreams, audible voices, and visible signs.
\nMore common, however, are what Elliot referred to as natural means. These include duty, God\u2019s Word, prayer, human agents, gifts, experiences, desires and passions, and circumstances.iv <\/sup>God can use any of these eight natural means individually, or in combination with one another or with supernatural means. As we examine each of these methods, reflect on their role in your own life and calling journey. How might God be speaking to you right now?<\/p>\n

Duty.<\/h2>\n

The most obvious natural means of calling\u2014and indeed, our first step in following our specific calling\u2014are our existing responsibilities. \u201c\u2018Do the next thing\u2019 is one of the best pieces of advice I have ever had,\u201d Elisabeth Elliot writes. \u201cIt works in any kind of situation, and is especially helpful when we don\u2019t know what to do. What if we don\u2019t even know what the \u2018next thing\u2019 is? We can find something. Some duty lies on our doorstep.<\/strong> The rule is Do It. The doing of that thing may open our eyes to the next.\u201d[i]<\/a> As we faithfully fulfill our duties, we can seek God\u2019s further direction regarding a specific calling. These responsibilities might include marriage, parenting, aging parents, church or community commitments, or even household duties such as repairs, gardening, or meal preparation.<\/p>\n

Human Agents.<\/h2>\n

God often uses human agents in our calling process, including parents, siblings, a spouse, children, friends, extended family, and even distant acquaintances. They may serve in a variety of ways: by providing an invitation that helps initiate or confirm a calling; by affirming a sense of calling or giftedness; by asking questions that provide clarity or additional direction; or by cautioning against a particular path.
\nHistorically, the wisdom of one\u2019s faith community has been a critical part of the calling process.<\/strong>[ii]<\/a> Only in recent church history have Christians taken a more individual approach to the calling-discernment process. \u201cDialogue stimulates thought and broadens vision,\u201d notes Sanders.[iii]<\/a> As King Solomon counsels, \u201cListen to counsel and accept instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days\u201d (Proverbs 19:20, nkjv).
\nCaroline is a pastor in a denomination with a lengthy confirmation process for prospective ministers. \u201cI find a huge sense of confidence in the process I\u2019ve gone through with ordination, and the affirmation I\u2019ve received from church leadership and from presbytery committees,\u201d she explained. \u201cIt\u2019s like, \u2018Yeah, I believe I\u2019m called here, and so do a lot of other people.\u2019\u201d
\nWhile God can and does use people in the calling process, I must note a few important cautions. First, any human invitation must be checked and confirmed through prayer and Scripture. \u201cOur gifts and destiny do not lie expressly in our parents\u2019 wishes, our boss\u2019s plans, our peer group\u2019s pressures, our generation\u2019s prospects, or our society\u2019s demands,\u201d writes Os Guinness.[iv]<\/a> In my church, we sometimes joke about people being \u201cvoluntold\u201d for a ministry role, but underneath the humor, we firmly acknowledge that calling ultimately comes from God, not another human being.
\nSecond, while it is wise to seek the input of others during the calling process, not all counsel should be accorded equal weight. Always seek guidance from mature believers who truly want God\u2019s best for you and who are as interested in listening as they are in talking. Make sure your friends are true friends who will ask hard questions, not just fans or followers who will say what you want to hear. Be wary of well-meaning family members who may be driven more by their own fears or interests. Don\u2019t be like the Old Testament king Ahab, who consulted only the prophets (four hundred of them!) he was sure would approve his desired course (1\u00a0Kings 22:1-40).
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Gifts.<\/h2>\n

The Holy Spirit endows each believer with spiritual gifts for building up the body of Christ (Romans 12:6-8; 1\u00a0Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1\u00a0Peter 4:10). These might include teaching, leadership, prophecy, helping, or administration, among many others; the lists in the Bible are not necessarily exhaustive, and there may be as many unique gifts as there are believers.
\nGod often calls people to roles that fit their gifts. Gifting is not an automatic indication of calling, however. As Carmille Akande writes, \u201cJust because we have these gifts doesn\u2019t mean God is calling us to use them at every opportunity. We still must ask ourselves, \u2018Is this the will of God for my life?\u2019\u201d[v]<\/a>
\nGod can call the gifted, but he can also gift those he has called.<\/strong> He can even issue a calling out of our weakness or failure. A contemporary corporate-consulting firm would never have recommended the men Jesus chose as his disciples. The Bible is full of similar examples of God using the least qualified candidates for his Kingdom work\u2014a fact that should give all of us great hope!<\/p>\n

Experiences.<\/h2>\n

Our life experiences can serve to guide and shape our calling. We may experience success at a particular pursuit and, in that success, discover a passion that in turn becomes a calling. We may discover our calling in the process of simply responding to the needs around us. Or we may look back and see a recurring theme in our personal history and realize evidence of a \u201cprogressive calling\u201d from God.[vi]<\/a>
\nGod can also grow our calling from negative experiences, bringing beauty from the ashes of past sin or failure. Jennifer\u2019s story is a powerful illustration of God\u2019s ability to redeem any experience for our calling and his glory:<\/p>\n

After living fifteen years as a meth addict, enslaved to men, held captive by the pain of a past that included several abortions, I answered God\u2019s call to know Jesus as my Savior, and he delivered me from my addiction. I became involved with Celebrate Recovery, which was a healing and growing place for me as God started revealing to me my strengths in teaching and counseling.
\nAt an orientation for a faith-based education program for addiction counselors, a professor said, \u201cGod uses our past for his purpose.\u201d He shared the great need for Christian counselors who have a recovery background. As he spoke, my heart leapt with excitement and joy, and the hair on my arms stood up. It felt as if God had touched my spirit and confirmed the purpose that I had been created for. Since then, he has opened up countless opportunities to facilitate his healing in the lives of numerous women of all ages and backgrounds.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Remember, God never wastes anything. Even if our experiences do not directly translate to our calling, they become part of our story and shape who we are, which in turn shapes how we live out our calling.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Desires and Passions.<\/h2>\n

When properly checked, our personal desires and passions\u2014the things we emotionally value\u2014can be a legitimate indicator of calling. Our feelings are a central part of our humanity and reflect the image of God.<\/strong> The Bible tells us that Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus (John 11:1-44) and over the city of Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-41). Similarly, God can place a burden on our heart for a particular people group or type of ministry. I have a heart for ministry leaders. My friend Hayley has a passion for underprivileged minorities. Other friends minister out of a burden for orphans, women, business executives, Native Americans, the homeless, and the unevangelized in Africa.
\nBen Campbell Johnson argues that our emotions are a critical component of our calling: \u201cUntil the call becomes part of us emotionally, it is nothing more than a notion in our heads that we can manipulate and control. Attaching feelings to our images incarnates the call in our flesh-and-blood story, and passion begins to drive it.\u201d[vii]<\/a>
\nAt the same time, our feelings can be fickle. God has created us as emotional beings, yet our emotions may reflect flawed understanding. They are a gauge, not a guide.[viii]<\/a> What, then, should be the proper place for our emotions, passions, or desires in the calling process?
\nEach of us has a particular bent for or against emotion. As women, the likelihood is that many of us (although certainly not all, myself included) skew toward the emotional side. I suggest that as we seek to discern our calling, we make room for whichever side falls opposite of our default approach. God can certainly use our passions to guide us, but those passions must be tempered by objective truth. At the same time, God can guide through our thoughts, but our minds must remain open to emotion and the possibility of mystery in the calling journey.
\nIn addition, the more closely and regularly we walk with God, the more our desires will align with his desires. Our hearts will instruct our minds, and our minds will instruct our hearts (Psalm 16:7, Colossians 3:1-2). We will not need to fear\u2014or hide in\u2014either emotion or reason.<\/p>\n

Circumstances.<\/h2>\n

Circumstances are literally those things that happen around us.[ix]<\/a> They are the easiest of all the natural means to detect and are therefore a commonly used measure of God\u2019s direction. Certainly, there are times when God uses circumstances or seemingly random occurrences to initiate, direct, or confirm our calling. An open door or closed door. A passage from a book. A sermon from the pulpit or on the radio. A timely worship song.
\nWe can all point to instances where circumstances helped confirm direction from God. We even see an example of this in the Bible, when Gideon famously tested God by putting out a fleece and asking him to perform miracles to prove his presence (Judges 6:33-40).
\nWe must be very careful about assigning meaning to an event, however. Ease of observation does not guarantee accuracy of interpretation.<\/strong> We could be looking only for what we want to see. An open door could be a sign of God\u2019s favor, or it could be a spiritual test. An obstacle in our path could be a signal to turn around and go in a different direction, or it could be a challenge to overcome.
\n\u201cIn decisions of far-reaching importance, especially, circumstances should play a minor part. Coincidence never negates God\u2019s command,\u201d counsels J. Oswald Sanders.[x]<\/a> Circumstances must be checked against the truths of Scripture and confirmed by the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

God\u2019s Word.<\/h2>\n

The Bible serves as a plumb line against which to evaluate any perceived calling by other means. While personal emotions, passions, and desires can be used to discern God\u2019s calling, these must be tested in light of the unchanging truths of God\u2019s Word. And, as J.\u00a0Oswald Sanders tells us, \u201cWhere Scripture speaks clearly, no further guidance need be sought.\u201d[xi]<\/a>
\nTo know God\u2019s Word, we must spend regular time in it, \u201creading and studying the whole will of God as found in the whole Word of God.\u201d[xii]<\/a> God\u2019s Word is \u201ca lamp to [our] feet and a light to [our] path\u201d (Psalm 119:105, nasb); \u201calive and active\u201d (Hebrews 4:12); illuminated by the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15, 1\u00a0Corinthians 2:6-16); and will never return empty (Isaiah 55:11). When we seek to discern God\u2019s calling, we must spend time in Scripture.<\/p>\n

Prayer.<\/h2>\n

Direction from God requires dialogue with God. Elizabeth Liebert writes that \u201ca life of personal and corporate prayer is the single most important preparation for discernment.\u201d[xiii]<\/a>
\nLike any true dialogue, prayer should include not only telling and asking but also listening. Listen for what God may want to say to you, but also listen to yourself. Beth Booram writes:
\nPay attention to what you are praying. Not the rote or dispassionate prayers, but the ones that have a quality of unbiddenness.<\/strong> Prayers that overtake you. Prayers that you can\u2019t \u201cnot\u201d pray. They form in you .\u00a0.\u00a0. from the swirl of desire and desperation merging together, giving voice to your deep yearning. Those prayers can indicate where God is preparing to or has implanted the seed of a dream.[xiv]<\/a>
\nAs with time in God\u2019s Word, time spent in prayer is absolutely essential\u2014\u201cobvious wisdom\u201d[xv]<\/a>\u2014to discern our God-given calling. Prayer forces us to slow down, evaluate our hearts, and consider God\u2019s perspective.
\n\u201cIn prayer, as I sit and wait, pressing into his presence, I receive strong impressions in my spirit, like heavenly vibes, that influence me,\u201d explained Jennifer, a minister and alcohol-and-addictions counselor. Janette, a seminary professor and pastor, practices the Prayer of Examen\u2014a prayerful review of her day[xvi]<\/a>\u2014as a method of regular communication with God. \u201cThe Prayer of Examen has been helpful to show me where I was able to give the most love, or the least; where I felt the most grace, the most life-giving moments,\u201d Janette said. \u201cThose kinds of movements over the years have illuminated some of the choices I made.\u201d
\nRegardless of the form your prayers take, commit to making regular time for conversation with God as a means of discerning, confirming, and directing your calling.
\n 
\nThe ways that God calls you will look different from anyone else\u2019s. In fact, they may be different from what you thought it would (or should) look like. God may use a different method than you expected, but you can trust that he knows the right method for you. Every calling ultimately originates from God, and he can use both supernatural and natural means to communicate that call.[xvii]<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"You’ve been reading with Angie Ward, author of I Am a Leader: <\/em> When Women Discover the Joy of Their Calling. <\/em>Watch the video, get the book, and read free excerpts by visiting iamaleaderbook.com<\/a>.
\n 
\n\"\"<\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\n
[i]<\/a> Elliot, A Slow and Certain Light, 88.<\/h6>\n
[ii]<\/a> Ben Campbell Johnson, Hearing God\u2019s Call: Ways of Discernment for Laity and Clergy (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2002), chap. 6.<\/h6>\n
[iii]<\/a> Sanders, Every Life Is a Plan of God, chap. 2.<\/h6>\n
[iv]<\/a> Guinness, The Call, 79.<\/h6>\n
[v]<\/a> Carmille Akande, \u201cDid I Hear God Right?: Just Because You Feel Like a Failure Doesn\u2019t Mean You Weren\u2019t Called by God,\u201d Women Leaders.com, November 21, 2016,<\/h6>\n
http:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/women-leaders\/2016\/november\/did-i-hear-god-right.html.<\/h6>\n
[vi]<\/a> Johnson, Hearing God\u2019s Call, chap. 2.<\/h6>\n
[vii]<\/a> Johnson, Hearing God\u2019s Call, \u00a0chap. 2.<\/h6>\n
[viii]<\/a> Jon Bloom, \u201cYour Emotions Are a Gauge, Not a Guide,\u201d Desiring God (ministry website), August 3, 2012, https:\/\/www.desiringgod.org\/articles\/your-emotions-are-a-gauge-not-a-guide.<\/h6>\n
[ix]<\/a> Circum = \u201caround\u201d and stance = \u201cto stand.\u201d<\/h6>\n
[x]<\/a> Sanders, Every Life Is a Plan of God, chap. 4.<\/h6>\n
[xi]<\/a> Sanders, Every Life Is a Plan of God, chap. 2.<\/h6>\n
[xii]<\/a> Sanders, Every Life Is a Plan of God, chap. 2.<\/h6>\n
[xiii]<\/a> Liebert, The Way of Discernment, 18.<\/h6>\n
[xiv]<\/a> Beth A. Booram, Starting Something New: Spiritual Direction for Your God-Given Dream (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2015), 36.<\/h6>\n
[xv]<\/a> Sanders, Every Life Is a Plan of God, chap. 2.<\/h6>\n
[xvi]<\/a> To read about this prayer, see Mark E. Thibodeaux, \u201cTry the Daily Examen,\u201d accessed September 20, 2018, https:\/\/www.loyolapress.com\/our-catholic-faith\/ignatian-spirituality\/examen-and-ignatian-prayer\/how-can-i-pray-try-the-daily-examen.<\/h6>\n
[xvii]<\/a> Elisabeth Elliot, A Slow and Certain Light: Thoughts on the Guidance of God (Waco, TX: Word Books, 1977), 77\u201387.<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Throughout the Bible, we see God use multiple methods to call leaders. For Moses, it was a burning bush. For Samuel, it was a voice in the night. For Esther, it was the wisdom of a family member. For Saul-turned-Paul, … <\/p>\n

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