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“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 (NIV)
Calling and vision go together. God’s call on your life is his vision for your life. If you want to get God’s vision for your future and experience real transformation, then you’ve got to get his call on your life.
When people hear someone talk about being “called by God,” they sometimes think of it as a scary thing—as if anyone who is called has to be a missionary or pastor or go to some remote part of the world to serve God.
But God’s calling isn’t something spooky or complicated. It’s simply God’s plan and purpose for your life.
Everybody in the whole world is called by God. We’re all called to know God and to love him—and to share his love with others. He has also called us to serve him and to use our talents to honor him. The only question is, are we going to answer his call?
To hear God’s call, you’ve got to pay attention to him, which means you have to slow down. You have to make room in your life to make knowing God your first priority.
Yesterday, we looked at the story of Bartimaeus—the man whose sight Jesus restored. From the crowd, he had been calling out to Jesus to notice him. The story continues, “Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.’ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus” (Mark 10:49-50 NIV).
Bartimaeus could have missed Jesus’ call if he wasn’t paying attention. He might’ve been so focused on crying out, “Hey! I’m over here! Help me!” that he wouldn’t have noticed the unexpected way God was calling him—through the voices in the crowd saying, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you!”
One way to hear God’s call is to spend regular, consistent time alone with God reading the Bible, praying, and just being still. Isaiah 30:15 says it like this: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (NIV).
When you hear God’s calling in your life and go after it, you will succeed—because God always blesses the vision and calling he gives his people. Spend some quiet time with God, and you’ll learn just how much he wants to bless you as you pursue and fulfill your calling.
Talk It Over
What have you been asking God for direction for?
Why is slowing down and paying attention necessary for you to be able to hear from God?
Think of a practical way that you can slow down and spend some quiet time with God today.

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