The Vocational Scales: How to Discern Your Calling

It’s a tough time…

So many leaders I talk to say they are tired — very tired. Overwhelming circumstances, uncertainty, change, transition, continually redoing work that has been done but now needs to be changed due to new developments, grief, loss, fear. Sometimes it feels like the whole world has gone crazy! So it is no surprise that in these circumstances, many are leaving their jobs.

In this time of the Great Resignation, unprecedented numbers of people are quitting. The most recent report of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics was just released this month, showing 4 million Americans left their jobs in July. Job openings reached a record high of 10.9 million. A survey conducted by Bankrate in August 2021 concluded 55% of Americans anticipate looking for a new job in the next 12 months. That is a lot of transition!

It was only last week that I realized that within a span of the past three months, out of my team of five people, four of those roles have had people transition in and/or out! And the one remaining person was hired last year and thus is somewhat new to the team. That is a lot of transition on one team in the midst of addressing many crises. Friends I talk to also experience transition on their teams, and they are shorthanded or have new people who don’t know the ropes. Training takes time, and meanwhile, there are already a million things to do.

No wonder people feel overwhelmed. If you feel this way, you are not alone!

In such difficult circumstances, many are reconsidering their life and vocation. Over the past year or so, I have had many conversations with leaders across the country who are doing just that. I’ve been reflecting on practical questions that people can ask as they discern future direction.

Two angles to opportunities

There are many elements, but here is one tool to use if you are in such a season — the Vocational Scales.

The concept of calling is not the same as a career, but sometimes those two intersect. For this article, I define vocation as the intersection of the two: the calling that God has given you to exercise in your life, and the employment opportunity where you can carry that out.

These opportunities fall along a spectrum where you may or may not feel passionate about the vocational calling God has given you for the present time.

We would all love to enjoy and be passionate about our vocation thoroughly. Imagine being paid for what you love to do, what you’re good at, and what makes a huge difference in the world!

But the reality is that sometimes God calls us to a vocation that can be kind of miserable. Think of Jeremiah and Jonah. If they followed their preferences, I doubt either of them would have done what God called them to do. Yet God gave them a clear calling to fulfill.

The reality is that our enthusiasm spans a wide range — our calling can sometimes align with great joy, and sometimes it’s hard, and you do it out of sheer submission and obedience.

When it comes to weighing an opportunity of whether to continue, depart, or seek new employment, how do you evaluate which direction to go?

The Two Sides of Vocation

That’s where the Vocational Scales come in. There are two scales on the balance — one side considering natural factors, and the other side addressing spiritual factors.

The natural factors have to do with categories that apply to your makeup, life, and world:

• Gifting. What gifts has God given to you? What are your experiences and skills? What strengths have other people affirmed in you?

• Passions. What energizes and excites you? What do you gravitate towards when there is an opportunity? What do you find interesting and intriguing?

• Personality and preferences. How has God wired you? Do you like to be with people or work alone? Are you big picture or detail-oriented? Do you like change or stability?

• Practical considerations. Do you have a family to support? What is your financial situation? What is your health like? What doors of opportunity have opened or closed?

The spiritual factors relate to how God is speaking to you and what you are sensing from Him:

• Scripture. What is God saying to you through His word? What challenges, convicts, or compels you?

• Prayer and promptings. What is the Spirit whispering? What are you hearing in your times of prayer and reflection? What nudges do you feel that move in a certain direction?

• Confirmations. How is God working in your life to orchestrate circumstances to direct you? How is He using people or messages to establish conviction and peace in your heart?

Typically, it seems like the ideal is to have the scales balanced. But even though at times God directs through a mix of both natural and spiritual factors, at times the scales lean significantly one way or the other.

Leaning to Spiritual Factors

When the scales leans on the spiritual side, the spiritual elements are more prominent than the natural factors. In fact, they may even go against the natural elements.

When the spiritual side of the scale is heavily weighted, the firm leading of God takes a higher priority than natural factors. This is what happened to Jonah.

• God told him clearly to go.

• He sent a storm that upset Jonah and the sailors’ plans so that Jonah was thrown over into the ocean.

• He sent a big fish to swallow him to preserve his life.

If those aren’t clear directions or confirmations from God, I don’t know what is!

In Jonah’s case, these strong directives overpowered the natural factors. The Bible’s not clear on what Jonah’s strengths are, but certainly this call of God did not line up with his passions (not a fan of the Ninevites), his preferences (he wanted to head the other direction), or practical considerations (going into a heathen land to proclaim judgment leads to a logical conclusion of getting executed)! But Jonah eventually submitted to God’s call.

Leaning to Natural Factors

In some cases, God’s direction is not terribly clear. There are no strong messages, promptings, or confirmations. In this case, the natural factors come into play.

What excites or energizes you? Where can you use your gifts to make a kingdom impact? Answering these types of questions is God’s grace that He is giving you the freedom to choose. Embrace it as a gift instead of with guilt. We have a big enough God who directs our steps and works all things for the good of those who love Him.

… And Somewhere In Between

Most of the time, both scales weigh in to some degree. Use this image below as a summary of questions with which to start. There are many others you can consider as well. Don’t let this list limit you!

Discern in community and with the feedback of wise, trusted friends. They can help you see things beyond your awareness or that are a blindspot for you. Bring the natural factors and spiritual factors for them to help you process.

And in God’s timing, He will show you the way.

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