Your Calling: Will You Say Yes?

When a man misses what he feels to be his calling, what are the lingering effects? I was talking to a co-worker of mine and I brought up the fact that he looked lost. My co-worker replied that it is so funny you feel that way, because I do feel that way. I had this perfect life planned out in my mind where I would play college football and that would translate into me being drafted to the NFL and playing wide receiver and living out days as the best wide receiver in the history of the NFL. I dreamed of buying my mother a home on the beach, having a nice home for myself, an extensive amount of money in the bank and a beautiful wife and beautiful children. My calling or dream has been deferred due to the severe leg injury I sustained playing football in college and now I do not know what I am doing. I do now know whether I am coming or going. I have no 1 year, 5 year, or 10 year plan in place for my life. I have no one I can talk to, I have no one I can tell my story to. All I can do is think about what could have been, and now I am a slave to the thought of what could have been instead of what can be, right now.

 My Calling was given to me in a Sunday Morning Church service, I would have the healing power of Peter and the anointing of Paul, if I would "submit" to "My Calling". Let me be the first to tell you that at age 14, I was not mentally or spiritually prepared to handle that which had just declared as "My Calling". I will be the first to admit that I ran from my calling, I was fearful of that which The Almighty had created for me, I was fearful of the price that would have to be paid, in order to fulfill that which had been declared over my life at age 14 and if I submitted by age 16 as instructed. I was in the same boat, wondering what could have been instead of focusing on what can be, right now?

You might ask, can running away from "My Calling"  be detrimental to my success in life? The answer is a resounding yes. I have learned that your calling is not found, it finds you. The "mantle" or "calling" that is placed on your life is created just for you, no one else. In order to fulfill that which is created for you, it takes one thing: Being Ready To Receive That Which Is Yours. It is my strong belief that if you are not ready for your "calling" it has no problem waiting until you are ready and in the position to embrace it and most of all fulfill it. Your "calling" will have the ability to clothe you, direct you, feed you, guide you, protect you, and sustain your very existence, if you allow it. 

You might ask how can "my calling" do all that you have just mentioned? Bishop T.D. Jakes mentioned in one of his powerful sermons, "To Land On Your Purpose, Is Such A Wonderful Thing." Again you might ask the question, why is landing on your purpose such a wonderful thing? Think of this, you are told what your "calling" or "mantle" in life is and you do everything in your power not to fulfill your "calling" or "mantle." You have all the intangibles and specialized knowledge to do so, but you squander the talents that The Almighty has blessed you with and guess what happens?  You actually have a good life so you think, you get that college degree, you get that job, you get the woman, you have the kids, you have the nice car, you have the nice home. One thing is missing, you are left feeling empty, you are left feeling lost, you are left unfulfilled, essentially you have F.O.M.O (Fear Of Missing Out). Remember this, the choices we make at any point in our lives have an immediate effect on the outcome of our life.

I will be the first to admit running away from "my calling" and "the mantle" that was placed on my life cost me 10 years of the life my calling chose for me, and the price I paid was steep. The price paid left me feeling empty, feeling lost, feeling unfulfilled, most of all I knew what I needed to do and even how to do it. I alone hindered my own progression which in fact lead me to hit the proverbial rock bottom in all facets of my life. You may reach that point in your life where no job, no money, no person, nothing can fulfill that void. The only thing  that can take away those feelings away is saying "YES" to "The Calling" and "The Mantle" on your life.  

What advice do I have for the man that has these feelings? What advice do I have for the man that is a slave to thinking about what could have been instead of what can be, right now? You first have to conquer those fears that inhibit your growth, you then have to know that there are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge. "The Calling" or "The Mantle" on your life is yours and yours alone, life can and will deal some serious blows to those plans that we have in place, you have to have the ability to dust yourself off after the fall and try again. If you are feeling empty, lost, unfulfilled pray to the Almighty for guidance. Find ways to find a person who you can trust to talk about those things that trouble you. Most of all you have to believe in your mind that whatever you can conceive you can most certainly achieve. You only get one life, I implore you to make the most of each and every day and start on the journey to saying "YES to "The Calling" and "The Mantle" on your life.

I leave you with this, the reward is worth the effort of just saying YES, the question I ask is will you make the start and be convinced?