So, the other day, I did just that. I randomly opened up to a chapter and started reading. This chapter was entitled, "Don't Compare Your Life to Others'. You Have No Idea What Their Journey is All About." Amen, right? But the chapter was really about so much more than just that. A good portion of the message within this chapter focused on truly finding our calling/vocation in life.
Regina talked about how growing up in Catholic school, the students' options were basically to become either a priest or a nun. That was to be their "vocation" in life. She mentioned how most of those students ended up choosing jobs and careers instead of callings and vocations. She herself ended up jumping around from job to job before eventually finding that writing was her calling. However, before she knew that writing was her calling in life, she read something written by Frederick Buechner that really put everything into perspective for her.
I wanted to share that quote with you today:
“The kind of work God usually calls you to is the kind of work (a) that you need most to do and (b) that the world most needs to have done…The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
Regina paraphrased it by saying, "The place God chose for you is the intersection where your greatest joy and the world's greatest need meet."
Read that one more time. Let is resonate with you.
She said it really helped her to fine-tune her focus in life and now it's helping me to fine-tune my own. We were each given talents and strengths that are completely unique to us. That didn't just happen by coincidence. We each have a calling here on Earth. It is up to us to seek it out and put it into action.
The idea of finding my purpose and my calling has been on my mind for years, to be honest. Reading this one, five-paged chapter brought some very important insight into my life and has pushed me forward into making it all a reality.
I think this post is going to tie in nicely with Thursday's Journey Forward post on what challenges and set-backs we have encountered through our Journey thus far. So, be sure check back in on Thursday for that :)
Now, I'm curious to know - have you found your calling yet? Are you on your way toward finding it?
10 comments:
I don't know if I'll ever find my calling, and I need constant motivation in the form of words or books to keep me searching.
Very beautiful post!
My true calling is helping people and being selfless. That's why I believe I was put on this earth.
This is such an amazing post! I'm really curious about that book now. I think I'll download it on my Nook! I've been hearing a lot lately about finding your calling whether it's from Oprah or other bloggers. I've always had a helping nature and I think my calling is to help lift others up and inspire them in some way. I'm definitely not at that point yet, but I'm getting there.
Beautiful Chels! This book sounds like one I'd like. That chapter I'm loving, too. I think my true calling is helping others in as many capacities as I can :) we will see how/where that brings me!
This book sounds awesome! I've been wanting to read something new - but I'm not quite ready to commit to a fiction book yet. Something like this sounds perfect for me, something to motivate me and that I can read piece by piece and absorb slowly. I am totally going to check this out, thank you :)
Right, I am getting that book. Chelsea you are so right and when I was younger I never thought I would sell out and get a job. I never thought I would be one of those people ... the walking dead as I call them. I see us all on the trains heading into work in the morning and it kills me that I am one of them.
I need to look to my faith and God more in order to find my true vocation, I think.
Great post ...
http://unpublishedworksofme.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/best-of-instagram-aka-hen-weekend-in.html
That sounds like an amazing book! I need to get my hands on it!
Ahhh! Thank you for this- I am finishing up "Purpose Driven Life" right now and needed a new uplifting book to read and keep me going :) I've realized over the years that I'm definitely meant to help people- and I'm doing that now with my career in Social Work, but now I'm trying to figure out where exactly to focus my attention. Good luck to you in finding what it is you are meant to do!
FANTASTIC post! :)
I absolutely love that Frederick Beuchner quote. It's one of my favorites!
~Tiffany
http://tiffanyd22.blogspot.com
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