What will you do with your life? Where will you go to college? What career will you choose? Do you plan to marry? Have kids? Stay home or move away?

Questions such as these are so important because how we answer them determines the direction of our lives. This is also what makes these questions so overwhelming. We don’t want to make the wrong choice, and it’s not always clear which is the right choice. That’s why we’re so glad you’re reading this. Because over the next five days, we’re going to show you how to find and fulfill your calling, your God-given purpose, so you can live free from the anxiety of trying to figure out your future, and so you can be confident God is with you and will use you for good.

In his letter to the Christians in Ephesus, Paul writes:

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. —Ephesians 4:1, NLT

As a follower of Jesus, you have been called by God and created with a purpose so much bigger than yourself.

But how do we do that? How do we live a life worthy of our calling when we aren’t even sure what our calling is? Let’s start by making sure we understand what the word calling actually means.

Your calling consists of your identity, purpose and assignment. Your identity is who you are. Your purpose is what you’re made to do. And your assignment is how you do it. All of these elements are essential to your calling. Also, the order matters immensely, because until you know who you are, you’ll never know what you’re supposed to do. And if you don’t know what you’re meant to do, then how in the world are you going to know how to do it? Before we get into all of that, though, we have to cover one more idea. It’s what makes our calling good news and not an exhausting list of to-dos.

Are you ready?

Your calling isn’t something you earn. It’s something Jesus won. And, because of His grace, He has given it to you.

Imagine that at the end of class, your teacher asks you to stick around for a few minutes. If you’re like most people, you might feel a little bit anxious, wondering what this could be about and what you might’ve done wrong. As you approach your teacher’s desk, your heart is pounding and your knees are shaking. You take a deep breath and ask, “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes. I’ve decided to give you an A on next week’s test.”

It takes a second for the words to sink in. You feel a strange combination of excitement and confusion. “But, I haven’t taken that test yet.”

“That’s right, but I’ve already decided you’re getting an A.”

“What if I bomb it?”

“You’re still getting an A. My only request is you do the work you believe is worthy of an A.”

With that, the conversation ends. You walk away with quiet confidence and firm determination to live up to the grade you’ve been given.

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. —Ephesians 4:1, NLT

You have been called by God and created for a purpose so much bigger than yourself. You don’t have to earn it. It’s already been given to you. So, choose to live a life worthy of the gift Jesus has won for you.

Tomorrow, we’re going to learn the first part of our calling, our identity, by discovering who we are because of who God is. For now, let’s pray.

Pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for me. I want to live a life worthy of the calling You have given me. Give me the faith to trust who You say I am, do what You made me to do, and love others the same way You have loved me. I devote my whole life to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.