There are variety of ways God may call individuals to ministry. The way that he calls me to ministry is by speaking to my heart and mind in a recurring manner. The thoughts and pull on my heart keep surfacing until I do what he is calling me to do. I do not know if it happens like this for everyone, but this is how it happens for me. The thought will keep surfacing in my spirit, heart, and mind to accomplish a task or project until I complete it. When I complete the project, I am filled with so much joy knowing that I accomplished what God told me to accomplish. I know it is God because what he asks of me edified and uplifts people instead of tearing them down like Satan does.
Every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). I started a Bible discussion group about a two months ago. The thought to do this had been in me for longer than a year so I, along with some other women, took the initiative to get it started. I tried forming this group five years ago, but it did not work out then. It was not the right timing. I had to be in a good place spiritually to lead a group and back then, I was not ready spiritually to lead a group. Now, I am ready spiritually to lead a group. This year, I wanted to get it started but so many things were going on at the time in my life that I hesitated. But a woman of God encouraged me to do it now, especially due to the state that this world is in. Other women encourage me to do it even now. We need this Bible discussion group more than ever. So I stepped out in faith and did it regardless of all that was going on in my life. God’s grace is sufficient. His strength is made perfect in weakness (II Corinthians 12:9). God gives me the strength to handle everything that is occurring in my life right now. I write articles as a blogger, I tutor, and I also work a full-time job. In addition to that, I will attend school full-time in September, so there is a lot on my plate right now, but God’s grace gives me the strength to do it all. It is best to do these things in His total strength and none of my own strength. As long as I ask for His help daily and realize how much I need Him daily, He definitely helps me get everything done.
I say this to encourage you to go into ministry if you sense the call, even if there is already a lot on your plate. You may be doing many things right now but do not let that stop you from going into ministry. God comes first no matter what and everything else will fall into place. He can give us the strength in Him to accomplish all that we want to accomplish according to His will and plan.
Writing is my passion and He gives me the ideas to write about. He puts it in my heart and spirit what to write and gives me the desire to want to write in the first place. The tug in my heart is so pressing at times that I have to act on it now. He speaks to my heart, mind, and spirit to write on a particular topic and when to write on it. And He tells me when to publish it. He tells me to publish and write articles at the perfect time.
Satan also tries to put recurring thoughts in our mind as well but the difference between the thoughts from Satan and the thoughts of God is that God’s thoughts edify and uplift people and bring people closer to Him and glorify Him. Recurring thoughts from Satan will tear a person down and will not edify them and will undermine them. Again, every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17).
The sheer joy in doing ministry is a benefit to answering the call of God. What can make you more happy and joyful than doing exactly what you were put on this planet to do? You are fulfilling the purpose of why you were born and why God created you in the first place.
What can be more rewarding than accomplishing that?
Absolutely nothing.
I do not believe anything can bring me more joy than following the call of God on my life, being sure that it is his call and not my own or anyone else’s. He reveals to us what that call is as long as we seek Him first and ask Him to reveal His call for our lives to us. Let God’s will be done in our lives.
There are several indications whether you are in the will of God or not. I know that I am not in the will of God when I am miserable in life. Not to say that things will not get hard and that we won’t struggle at times, because we will. And when we get off track or get out of His will, God will use that to benefit us as well. All things work for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). In addition, when God calls us to a ministry, we will at least have peace about the situation if it is from Him. If there is no peace about the situation, then it just may not be from God. To be sure that you are in the will of God is to focus on him and trust in him at all times.
Proverbs 3:5 says:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge him in all your ways and he will guide your steps”.
If you do this, God will lead you into His perfect will for your life. In this case, there is no hit and miss. This way, there is a definite bullseye.
