When we talk about vocation people may initially think about professional ministry, like being a pastor, youth worker, or church musician, but a vocation is something that everyone has. For Christians a vocation is not the same as an occupation, but in some instances they overlap. For many, but not all pastors our vocation and occupation are the same. The overlap, or lack thereof, of vocation and occupation do not diminish each other. Rather the vocation is that calling from God over one’s life, either for the whole of it or for a time, while the occupation is the work one goes about that provides them with pay and other benefits to support them in their life.
Many people have found vocations outside their occupation; certain examples are that of being a Ruling Elder or Deacon in the church, volunteering with a local agency like a food shelf, animal shelter, or school tutoring program, or creating art and music to inspire and convict. Regardless of whether one’s vocation and occupation ever overlap, the discernment of vocation is an important practice.
Vocation can change over time, as our knowledge and abilities change, as the world’s needs shift, and as we grow deeper in our discipleship to Christ. Taking time for regular vocational reflection and discernment is an important aspect of the spiritual life.
Theologian Frederick Buechner defines vocation as
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
Using Buechner’s definition as our starting point we can begin to discern what our vocation is at this time in our life. To find the intersection of your deep gladness and the world’s hunger requires both introspection and knowledge of the needs in our world today.
Some questions to ask yourself in the midst of introspection are:
What brings me joy?
What gifts and talents has God given me and how can I develop them further?
What knowledge and experience have I gained throughout my life?
Some questions to ask regarding the needs in the world today are:
Who in my community does not have their basic needs met?
What groups of people are marginalized in the society I live in?
Beyond material and economic needs, what social and spiritual needs are present in people’s lives?
Once you have taken time to reflect on these and other questions, look for the overlap, the places of intersection between your gladness and the world’s needs.
Lent, that season when we follow Jesus to the cross and empty tomb, can be an opportune time to reflect on our own vocation and if needed discern how it may be changing given where we and the world are at. I invite you to actively consider your own vocation both now and regularly in life. God has a calling for each of us and in many cases multiple callings spread out across our years. May you find God’s call, your vocation, and follow in faithfulness, hope, and love.
Blessings,
Pastor Brian
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