Finding Clarity in Your Calling
Over the next few weeks, I want to explore the idea of calling.
That sense or inspiration we get that something is our mission or purpose in the world.
It’s the "why" behind what we do.
When we gain clarity on our individual calling, we gain a better sense of how to use our time, of who we were made to be, and what we were made to do.
All of which helps us be at ease in the world.
One of the key ways I have found this to be true is that it helps us know what to say yes to and, more importantly, what to say no to.
Finding clarity in your calling works as a filter for decision making.
Jesus models this beautifully in John Chapter 7.
At this point in His ministry, Jesus had performed miracles and drawn crowds, he had gained followers and lost followers. Even His own brothers continued to doubt Him (Jn 7:5).
So when the Festival of Booths approached—a major celebration in Israel —it seemed like the perfect opportunity to go and make himself known.
And Jesus began to face pressure to do so.
His brothers began urging Him to attend the festival publicly and reveal Himself as the Messiah. They said,
“Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world” (Jn 7:3-4).
He had a decision to make.
Logically, it would make sense to go.
To say yes.
This was one of the biggest gatherings of the year, the perfect stage to gain influence, to gain followers, to grow in popularity.
But Jesus said no.
Despite all the reasons to go, all the people telling him he should, and all the sense that it made, He resisted.
Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee ( Jn 7:6–9).
Unlike His brothers, who acted impulsively in the present, Jesus was grounded in His purpose and the Father’s timeline, not the world’s.
Jesus was calmly decisive because he knew His ministry wasn’t about self-exaltation, but about glorifying the Father.
This clarity of call helped Him say no when necessary, and that gave Him peace whether he missed out on the perfect opportunity or not.
He was confident in his purpose, in what he came to do, and how to carry it out.
So Jesus stayed in Galilee, working quietly and faithfully until the time was right, instead of immediately seeking glory at the festival.
And maybe you have felt pressure like this before.
Many of us often feel anxiety when pressured to make a decision or to act before we're ready. Maybe we even overburden ourselves with expectations.
But like Jesus, we can find freedom in living with purpose.
A clear calling shapes our priorities, helps us set boundaries, and allows us to confidently say no to distractions.
Jesus shows us how knowing our calling helps us to be at ease when navigating pressures and distractions:
Outside influences may push us to act prematurely or for the wrong reasons.
Self-focused motives like gaining recognition or influence can cloud our judgment.
Peer pressure and anxiety can steer us away from what God has called us to do.
But finding clarity in your calling can help relieve you from all of it.
This year, I’m working on defining my yes and no more clearly by clarifying my calling:
Putting words around who I am.
Discovering what I exist to do.
Thinking about how I can make it happen.
But ultimately, this moment in Jesus’s life reminds me that our purpose isn’t about our own glory—it’s about God’s.
A true calling often requires sacrifice, humility, and trust in His timing.
So what about you? Have you put words around your calling, your mission, or your purpose? If not, why not take some time and begin to write it down now.
I promise you won’t regret it.