2 Ways to Confirm God is Calling You Into Ministry

As a young minister’s wife, I began to ask the question: How did God’s call come to people in Scripture so they knew what God wanted them to do? Abraham must have heard a voice, whether audible or the silent voice within. Moses saw a burning bush and Paul saw a light brighter than the noonday sun. None of these things had happened to me, although I believed in them.

While attending , some of my friends had told me of very real experiences in which they felt God call them to the ministry. I have a deep conviction that all Christians were called to ministry by the final command of Jesus to go “into all the world, and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15). As a young ministry wife, I thought I was being obedient to that command by my connection to the local church.

He Shows the Need. As I continued to search the Word I found God called in other ways. Sometimes He revealed the needs of the world to us, as Jesus instructed the disciples to “look on the fields,” which were ripe for harvest. One reason for my going to Bible had been a sincere desire to live a life of helping people in their physical and spiritual needs.

I had observed people closely; some were happy, some were not. I wanted to have a happy, meaningful life. I observed that those who closely followed the Lord were the happiest. I made a determination that I would do that personally, and help others to make that choice. Bible seemed the obvious place to learn how to do that. But I had not considered that a call.

He Calls You Providentially. For many of the disciples, the call of Jesus was providential while they were going about their daily routine of living. One day as Peter and Andrew, James and John were fishing, He simply said, “Follow Me.” With no explanation as to where He was going, or what He was doing, the call came to them. They left their nets and followed. In a similar way Matthew left his as a tax collector, as did others from other occupations.

As I looked at my life, I realized God’s call had also come to me providentially. I had followed Him from my family home to Bible. Following Him had led me to the place I now was, married to a committed young minister. I saw no visions, no bright lights nor burning bushes, I heard no audible voice, but in my heart I knew. As He did with the disciples, Jesus stood at the threshold of my life and called me to follow Him. The ministry was not only my husband’s, it was also mine. How I would fulfill that call would be determined in the same way it came—by the providence of God.