How to Explain Our Calling to Others

Sometimes, the hardest thing about our calling is explaining it to others, especially our family or people we’re close to. Sometimes even our church family can be difficult. Often, fear of man is at the root of it.

Even Moses struggled with fear of man. When God was talking with him from the burning bush, Moses brought it up twice:

“Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” – Exodus 3:13

“What if they [the Israelites] do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” – Exodus 4:1

Moses was more afraid of unbelief from the Israelites than he was from the Egyptians. Isn’t that true with us too? Internal opposition is often scarier than external opposition.

Fear of Man: How Do I Explain this to Others? What If They Don’t Believe Me?

Does our fear of man manifest itself most in the fear of what our family will think? Those closest to us? Maybe even our church family?

God gives Moses a 3-fold strategy. The same strategy will work for us too. That doesn’t mean our family or loved ones are guaranteed to believe or support us in our calling. That’s on them. But the strategy God gave Moses is an excellent starting place.

(1) Invite them into a Story

“Story” is the most powerful communication tool in the world. That’s why Jesus told parables (one reason at least). Think of the best sermon or speaker you’ve ever heard. You may or may not remember what their points were, but I bet you remember the stories they told.

A story hooks us because, when there are two possible outcomes, success or failure, we have to know which happens. The two possible outcomes in a story are called the stakes. The stakes are what stands to be won or lost if the hero succeeds or fails. Painting the stakes is an invitation for the listener to step into the story.

God tells Moses to tell the Israelites that he’s seen their suffering and will bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:16-17).

God paints the stakes: the Israelites’ current suffering as slaves in Egypt versus a land of their own flowing with milk and honey. He’s inviting the Israelites to step into this story.

This is a strategy for us to explain our calling to those closest to us, spouse, family, etc. Paint the stakes. What is to be lost if you don’t follow God’s calling, and what is to be gained if you do?

Invite them into the story. Where do they fit? How can they help? What part in this story are you inviting them to play?

(2) God’s Working in Your Life

Then, if the Israelites don’t believe him, God gives Moses 3 signs to perform (Exodus 4:2-9):

1. His staff turned into a snake (and back again).
2. His hand became leprous (and clean again).
3. He poured water from Nile on the ground and it became blood.

Two of the signs, turning the staff into a snake and turning the water to blood, represent the miraculous things God has worked in your life. Those who don’t believe may call them coincidences, but we who believe know it could only have been God.

Here’s an example:

I was talking to a family member, who doesn’t believe in God, about Janet and I moving into our current house. The “coincidences” and timing lined up so perfectly it could only have been God.

We moved from Stafford, VA, to neighboring Fredericksburg. The Fredericksburg housing market rarely has houses come up for sale, and they go fast. So I was prepping Janet that, after selling our old house, we might need to put stuff in storage and live in an apartment for 12-18 months until we found a place.

That would’ve been the typical way such a move would work, but God had other plans.

We put our old house on the market on Friday and had it sold by Monday. We had 3 offers over the weekend, and accepted a full price offer with no points requested by the buyer. That doesn’t happen. Except it did.

We did a rent-back for 4 weeks so we could find another place, which I knew wouldn’t work. It would take at least a couple weeks to find a place (probably a temporary apartment). But if we actually found a house, closings are minimum 30 days, if not 45 or 60 days. So, regardless, we were going to have to make two moves.

We found our new house in about 7-10 days, and I was shocked to find it fit our budget. We made an offer, with the seller paying all the points, which he accepted. That doesn’t happen. Except it did.

But to only make 1 move, the closing company would have to do the closing in 21 days. That doesn’t happen. Except it did.

We made one move, from the old to the new, did not have to live in any temporary housing, and did not pay any points on either sale. That doesn’t happen. Except it did.

My family member said, “Wow, what a lot of coincidences, that’s amazing!”

I said, “That had to be God. There’s no way all of that could have happened with God orchestrating it.”

He can believe what he wants. But Janet and I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, God moved us to Fredericksburg.

(3) God’s Healing in Your Life

The other sign God gave Moses, his hand turning leprous and then clean again, represents God’s healing in your life.

What has God done for you? What has he brought you through? How has he healed you? Your testimony is part of your story. Your calling is a continuation of your story.

There are lots of types of healing, physical, emotional, relational, etc. Depending on how sensitive it is, you don’t have to tell everyone. But, if it’s appropriate, based on the relationship you have with the other person, what you’ve been healed from can be a powerful point in favor of your calling.

Invitations Can Be Refused

A great way to explain our calling to family members is by using this 3-fold strategy God gave Moses:

1. Paint the stakes.
2. How God has worked in your life.
3. The healing God has brought you through.

But it is not a guarantee. The Israelites did believe Moses (Exodus 4:29-31), temporarily, until it got hard (Exodus 6:9).

Invitations can be refused. We need to honor our loved ones by giving them that option. Even when our calling has an obvious role for them to play, their fear may stop them. Their unbelief may stop them. Or something may be holding them back.

But, even if they refuse, you press on. You follow your calling. God may win them over somewhere along the way in the future. Don’t let anyone derail the calling of God on your life.

Your Turn

Are you struggling to explain your calling to close friends, family members, or your church community? Or have you figured it out? Please tell us in the comments; it will help others. And please share this post if it would bless other people.