Your Passion and Your Power

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “See, I have called by name Bezalel. . . . I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge . . . that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship.”

–Exodus 31:1–3, 5

A second way to know what God has called you to do is to consider your desires. Remember, Philippians 2:13 says God gives you both the desire and the power to carry out His purpose. When you look at the world around you, what needs do you have a desire to meet? If God is calling you to do something, then He’s going to give you a passion for it.

He’s also going to give you the power to fulfill that passion. Let’s say I want to find a cure for cancer. I could develop a passion for that because cancer took my parents prematurely. The problem is that I have no gifts in science whatsoever. I almost failed high school biology. So I’m probably not the one to find a cure for cancer, because when God wants you to do something, He gives you the corresponding gifts and abilities. Are you gifted in persuasion? Communication? Organization? Compassion? Your calling will utilize your strengths.

Leadership expert Bobb Biehl referred to this God-given calling as your “life work,” the best use of the rest of your life. He described a few characteristics of your life work that will help you determine what God has given you the passion and ability to do:

• You love this work. That doesn’t mean you never get frustrated at your job. But generally, you’re exhilarated by what you do.
• You don’t tire of this work. Even when you’re scraping bottom physically, you’re still excited by the results of what you’re doing.
• Others affirm you in this work. People say things like, “This job was tailor-made for you.”
• This work maximizes your history. You can see how God orchestrated the experiences in your life to prepare you for your job.
• This work makes you feel at peace. When you discover your God-given calling, you will think, This is what God created me to do.

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Today’s devotion is adapted from “Finding the Perfect Job” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2008, and “Choosing Purpose over Aimlessness,” by Dr. Jeffress, 2019.

Bobb Biehl, Weathering the Midlife Storm (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1996), 137–41.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.