How do we know our calling? – DUMC Workplace Ministry

3 Dec 2013 by Adeline Lum CM-

 

Many people mistaken that when God calls, we would either need to quit our jobs to join a ministry or slowdown in climbing the corporate ladder. While some of us are called to join the ministry, God has purposed every one of us for a different calling; some called to shine in the ministry, while others in the workplace.

On Dec 1, DUMC held an afternoon session to answer the ‘Myths of Calling’ with over 60 participants, compacted over a two-hour session.

Daryll Tan shared his testimony as a young and courageous entrepreneur, with the life motto, ‘Dream big, dig deep, and start small.’

 

 

Two years ago, he made an unorthodox decision to quit university and to start a talent management and multimedia company. A turbulent year, he sought for God’s direction, to which the Lord reminded him that God’s dream is different from his dream. In other words, the focus of the business must be God.

Focusing on the Lord in his business, doors were opened for him! The following year, God sent Christian business partners his way. The two companies merged and now, they specialize in social media and tech development where they have been experiencing growth in business.

And for his entire journey, the Lord has been with Daryll. After days of prayer to God on life and finances, one night, suddenly a picture in his room — ‘Footprints in the sand’—fell on the floor. Picking up the picture, The Lord reminded him of how He would carry him in His arms through the storms.

 

 

Touched and convicted, Daryll has decided to truly obey God in the coming years. “I am like a blank sheet of paper who allows God to fold me, so that I can fly,” said Daryll.

YC Tan, a successful businessmen and a church elder, told about how the Father is his God, not money.

He shared how Jesus and the Bible talked a lot about money and possessions. To the Pharisees, He told them to produce good fruit, not merely empty words (Matt 12:33-37). To the tax collectors such as Zacchaeus, Jesus commended Zacchaeus for giving to the poor and paying back four folds the money he cheated (Luke 19:8-9). John the Baptist also replied spiritual questions of how to be saved, with unexpected answers relating to money and possessions (Luke 3). To the general crowd, John said that they should share their tunics and food with those who do not have anything. To the tax collectors, he said not to collect more money than required. To the soldiers, he said not to extort money and be content with their salary (Luke 3:10-14).

 

 

In other words, following our God meant doing what He says in the Bible, not merely hearing the word. And strangely enough, the way we see and handle money reveals how solid is our salvation, shared YC. And for that, YC Tan followed God even though there were huge monetary losses. “We are prepared to put our job on the line,” said YC who pursued ethics above all. 

Pr J-son Ho shared that a two-way relationship with God must exist before one knows their calling. Although some perceived they could not hear from God, Pr J-son reckoned that every born-again Christian must be able to hear the Father. Hence, the question should be, “Is the voice I am hearing in my head the Father’s, my flesh, or the devil?” But how do we discern the voice of God? That can only come by spending time with the Father, like how we spend time with a person. Continue to ask Him and seek Him, and you would be able to discern his voice.

 

 

One of the mistakes made when discerning a call however, shared Pr J-son, is not waiting for God to confirm His calling or reveal more information about His calling to us. And because of that, we often overburden ourselves with too many commitments because the calling we know is too vague. Hence, take your time to ask God for more specific directions before committing to anything. After that, obey Him after He revealed a step to take. And through the step-by-step of obedience, we would know our calling when we looked back at the steps we take, which converged into a consistent theme.

A calling, Pr J-son shared, is a combination of place to be, competency, and passion. Nevertheless, sometimes, we can mistake passion as a calling. How do we differentiate? If the passion stays even after a period of time, you would know that the passion is from the Lord. But if the passion dies off after a period of time, it is merely a hype triggered by a certain event.

 

 

And when you have discerned your calling, God will equip you with competencies to fulfill the calling. Pr J-son shared a story of a 29-year-old girl who quit her job as an accountant in Ernst and Young to pursue her dream as a Public Relation officer, starting from a fresh graduate pay. Although her family did not support her, she humbled herself and worked for two years, before her salary hiked up to earning five figure today from a four-figure salary of an accountant. “Humble yourself, if you got a gift, God will honor you. When God speaks to you, you will know,” said Pr J-son. In other words, meeting a calling sometimes can be risky and daunting but if the Lord calls you for that calling, be certain that He will prepare the way, build you up with skills, and also ignite your passion for that calling.

 

 

Lim Kah Hooi —Workplace Ministry Head of DUMC and a CEO Coach— also shared how calling must have a caller, which is our Father in heaven.

“If you want to know what your calling is, go back to the caller and not anywhere else. Do you realize that each of us has the autonomy to go back to the Father? Sometimes, we need counsel of friends and church. But ultimately, we need to go back to God,” said Kah Hooi who later shared how the Lord knew us even before we were born (Jer 1:4).

 

 

We must find our calling in life or really, the purpose of our lives. God wants to use every one of us for a specific purpose. Hence, spend time writing and thinking about your calling, urged Kah Hooi.

Although the Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil, the lack of money is also the root of all evil. Contentment without greed then is a virtue to pursue because nothing is enough for a greedy person.

Although the world tells us many ways to achieve success, the Bible says that success will come when we obey God. At the end of our lives, God says, “Good and faithful servant”, not “Good and successful servant.” If God has a calling for each of us, then let Him be responsible for our successes. Obedience to God is therefore the step to success!

 

 

DUMC Workplace Ministry will be having another workplace event on January 12, 2014 @ 2:30-5 PM. If you are interested to join, please email workplace@dumc.my or contact Eunice @ 016-333-4941.