Discovering Your Calling: What Do You Love to Do?

The question is so simple that it seems ridiculous that we do not ask it more often in the church: “What do you love to do?” We recognize that God blesses each person with spiritual gifts, and we appreciate the talents that people have discovered and nurtured over the years. The major motivating factor in a person’s life, however, is what they are passionate about.

If one has a passion for an activity, he or she will alter their schedule, make sacrifices, and commit to do what needs to be done to be involved. A friend invited me to a pro football game recently. We sat outside in chilling temperatures with snow flurries coming down to watch a team with a mediocre record. Why? Because we care about the sport.

What is the source of passion? The sources are as diverse as people are unique. Perhaps it is the result of an almost forgotten childhood experience shared with a parent or friend. Maybe it comes from studying under a teacher or working with a mentor who embodied excitement about a subject or a task. For believers, it is always a possibility that the Spirit of God has spoken though worship, scripture, testimony, or hands-on experience.

We may never know the source of passion, but we can tell when a person is passionate about something: the person’s eyes widen, their voice is a little louder and animated, and their step is a bit more energetic. There is an enthusiasm there that we do not normally see in that person. In fact, the Greek origin of the word enthusiasm is “being possessed by a god.” Something special has been added to the situation.

In the church, we can discover those things that give members passion by both asking and listening. First, simply asking, “What do you love to do?” and then listening carefully, without judgment, and without preconceived ideas.

If we can discover what a person is passionate about, what they love to do, we will have made a major step in helping that person discover his or her calling.

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