Four Steps to Consider Before Quitting Your Calling

Eagerly awaiting a response to an email, I hurried to log onto my computer. I had shared a next project that I felt was a God idea, so I was anxiously awaiting a response. I held my breath as I began to scroll through the emails in my inbox, and there it was, the response I was waiting for.

As my eyes scanned the brief message, my heart sank–not exactly the answer I was hoping for. It wasn’t an outright rejection, but it also wasn’t a confirmation or commitment either. Exhaling, fighting back tears, I slowly shut the laptop and walked away.

The insecurities, fears, and doubt began to rise up inside me. The questions began taunting me, mocking me and echoing in my mind…

• What did you expect?
• Who do you think you are?
• What were you thinking?

Have you ever found yourself in a position where you were excited to step out in the very thing your heart had longed to do, when all of a sudden out of nowhere, you began to question the call on your life? Was this really God’s plan for you?

Maybe this wasn’t what you were supposed to be doing. 

Four Steps to Help You Decide

It could just be me, but on more than one occasion I have doubted the call on my life, whether it is in being a wife, mom, writer, speaker or pastor. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t let me dwell on the insecurities and doubt for too long before turning my thinking around. Quitting may be the easy option, but is it really the right one?

1. Recognize the source.

When you begin to question the call of God on your life, you first need to find out the source of the insecurities and doubt. Just because you are questioning your calling doesn’t mean it isn’t something you should be doing. We have an enemy who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy us (John 10:10 & 1 Peter 5:8). My pastor used to say, “The enemy doesn’t care if you are a Christian or if you go to church, he only cares if you do something with what you believe.” You see, it’s when we start to do something with who God has called us to be that the enemy begins to care. Why? Because when we are walking in our Kingdom purpose, lives are changed, including our own and people are set free.

My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me (John 10:27 TPT).

We need to ask ourselves where is this doubt and insecurity coming from? Did something happen to trigger it? Why all of a sudden am I beginning to question my calling? Is it coming from God, the enemy or myself?

2. Stop and go back to what you know.

We often need to stop the doubt and insecurity train before it gets too far from the station. We need to go back to what we know. What’s the truth about the situation? Not the perceived truth, or the truth our emotions and feelings are giving us. Sometimes, we just need to stop and go back to before we stepped into the calling or ministry. Did God speak something to us? Did He release a promise, prophetic word, a Scripture, or plant a dream into our hearts? Did you receive confirmation from others?

Before releasing people into ministry, I ask them to seek God and ask for a personal word or Scripture for this season of ministry they are stepping in to. Something that they can cling to when times are difficult.

Another pastor used to tell me, “If you don’t know, you don’t go!” I will admit this has stopped me from quitting my calling and hitting the road so many times that I’ve lost count. When the going gets tough, it is a natural tendency to hit the road and never look back.  However, that is not always the best solution. Instead, seek out wise counsel and people whom you trust to speak into your life. Ask them to pray with you and for you. By seeking the counsel of others, they can help us process the truth with emotions removed.

For with wise guidance, you can wage a successful war, and with a council of many advisors, you will be victorious! (Proverbs 24:6 The Voice)

3. Be in community.

Surround yourself with like-minded people who have a similar calling to your own. When we are in the heat of battle, we need to know we are not alone. We need the experience and testimonies of others to know what is possible in difficult situations. This will help us when the times get tough.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV)

4. Take Action

Taking action means we make a choice to move forward, and it can be one of the hardest steps in the process. Once we know the source and have gone back to what God has already spoken to us about our calling, we have to do something with it, or we will remain stuck. Sometimes, the action may be to dig deeper and forge ahead. It may require readjusting, but not quitting. It might mean taking a break or transitioning out. We won’t know until we work through the other steps in the process, but when we know, we make the necessary adjustments, we choose, and we act.

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:1-8 NIV)

As we move forward in God’s plan and walk in our calling we must be prepared for opposition and resistance to come our way, but that doesn’t mean we give in to it or turn tail and run away. Keep in front of you the things God speaks to you through the Scriptures, His promises and the prophecies He spoken over your life.   We must choose to be unstoppable as we passionately pursue the plans God has for us.