Discerning Your Vocation

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rivii
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Rivii

Guest
Good day to you all. I wanted to ask, how is that some can so fervently and with so much certainty say that a vocation is his/her calling? Like to be married, in the religious life, a doctor, etc.? I wish I had that much discernment. When I ask, people say to look at your interests and skills that God has blessed you with. Think about your passions and goals in life.

Certainly wisdom, I thank God that I heard these words. But what about external factors? For me, yeah, I could be incredibly passionate about going into Computer Science. But what about my mother who wants a doctor? It’s in the 4th commandment to honor your father and mother. I have no problems with being a doctor. But I really want to know what God wants me to do.

So… How do you discern what God’s purpose for you is?
 
I have heard that all of us have a vocation to something.

I would suggest that you pray, get career counseling, and follow your interests.
 
Rivii said:
Good day to you all. I wanted to ask, how is that some can so fervently and with so much certainty say that a vocation is his/her calling? Like to be married, in the religious life, a doctor, etc.? I wish I had that much discernment. When I ask, people say to look at your interests and skills that God has blessed you with. Think about your passions and goals in life.

Certainly wisdom, I thank God that I heard these words. But what about external factors? For me, yeah, I could be incredibly passionate about going into Computer Science. But what about my mother who wants a doctor? It’s in the 4th commandment to honor your father and mother. I have no problems with being a doctor. But I really want to know what God wants me to do.

So… How do you discern what God’s purpose for you is?
Click to expand...
Prayer…prayer…prayer…prayer and when you think you have prayed enough, prayer…prayer…and more prayer. lol I thought God was calling me to the priesthood. I didn’t pray about it much, but then I met the woman who would become my wife. My priest told me, after meeting with us both, that God is calling me to the married life. The calling for ministry never really went away and then after many years of PRAYER lol…I felt the calling to the permanent diaconate. If you pray humbily and present your life to God to do as He wills, He will NEVER send you down the wrong road. 👍
 
I have been praying for some time for God to point me in the direction that He wants me to go. Lately I have been thinking more and more of volunteering as a Lector in my parish church. How do I determine if this is God’s response to my prayers or just an idea of my own?
 
God will reveal His plan for you if you place yourself in a position to hear the call. You must pray for guidance and be very patient. God bless your journey.
 
To all: I’ve found this book to be helpful. It is called Lifework: Finding Your Purpose In Life by Rick Sarkisian PhD. He writes from a Catholic perspective about all sorts of vocations and careers, and how to find what God is calling you to. I found it in a Catholic bookstore. You might also want to try the Amazon.com website. It is paperback, $14.95 US dollars.
 
Are you trying to discern a vocation or a career? The two are different. A vocation is how someone lives their life, whereas a career is how someone earns a living.
 
Lisa1967 said:
I have heard that all of us have a vocation to something.

I would suggest that you pray, get career counseling, and follow your interests.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. Where can you find career counseling?
 
aidanbradypop said:
Prayer…prayer…prayer…prayer and when you think you have prayed enough, prayer…prayer…and more prayer. lol I thought God was calling me to the priesthood. I didn’t pray about it much, but then I met the woman who would become my wife. My priest told me, after meeting with us both, that God is calling me to the married life. The calling for ministry never really went away and then after many years of PRAYER lol…I felt the calling to the permanent diaconate. If you pray humbily and present your life to God to do as He wills, He will NEVER send you down the wrong road. 👍
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. Haha yes, prayer and more prayer. True, God would never send us down the wrong road. Thanks.
 
Golf_Zulu said:
I have been praying for some time for God to point me in the direction that He wants me to go. Lately I have been thinking more and more of volunteering as a Lector in my parish church. How do I determine if this is God’s response to my prayers or just an idea of my own?
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. I think I know what you mean. All my life, my mom drilled it into me to become a doctor: take high school classes geared to a pre-med and volunteer at hospitals. But somehow it just didn’t emotionally and spiritually sit well with me. Maybe it’s more of a try-and-see kind of thing. Explore your interests in the professional fields; see if it’s something you’d be happy doing for the rest of your life.

But, I guess when it comes down to it, prayer is key. God has a purpose for us all. We’ve just got to figure it out somehow haha.
 
kovacs725 said:
focus.org/blog/posts/what-i-wish-college-students-knew-about-vocational-discernment.html
This might help. Ive been preparing to be an engineer or a physisist but I wanted to be according to God. I prayed and got an intense push to priesthood. Looking back I did not have full peace with the previous ideas. I couldnt peacefully and happyly say that I will be a scientist. Now I have peace. I prayed many times and God led me. May you trust Him in all ways.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. Thank you also for the reference. This passage in particular was quite striking:
Remember God wants you to be happy, to become a saint, to become the man or woman he made you to be. When you discover your vocation, you discover who you are and living that out is your joy.
Click to expand...
So while some may be afraid of getting too close to God because they think He’ll make them do something they don’t want to do, the truth is that God is the good shepherd who brings you to green pastures and only asks you to do what is going to bring you more joy than you could ever have on your own.
Click to expand...
Congratulations for finding your vocation. I’m happy you found peace. Thanks for the advice. I will do my best to pray to and trust God.
 
mountee said:
God will reveal His plan for you if you place yourself in a position to hear the call. You must pray for guidance and be very patient. God bless your journey.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. To place myself in a position is to pray and be patient, correct? God bless your journey too.
 
Lisa1967 said:
To all: I’ve found this book to be helpful. It is called Lifework: Finding Your Purpose In Life by Rick Sarkisian PhD. He writes from a Catholic perspective about all sorts of vocations and careers, and how to find what God is calling you to. I found it in a Catholic bookstore. You might also want to try the Amazon.com website. It is paperback, $14.95 US dollars.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response and reference. I will look into that. God bless.
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
Are you trying to discern a vocation or a career? The two are different. A vocation is how someone lives their life, whereas a career is how someone earns a living.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. I suppose both. How do you discern how you will live your life and what profession you will have?
 
I am also struggling with the question of vocation and what to do as a profession. Just know that everyone reaches some point in their lives when they ask themselves what the whole purpose of their lives is. Prayer is very important but also receiving the sacraments frequently. And be patient! Whenever God wills it, you will know His Will. As for now, personally I chose to try to be faithful to my current responsibilities. I am confident that if I am faithful in what I am supposed to be doing at this stage then God is preparing me for what He wants later. As for your mum’s wish for you to be a doctor, I would also pray about that. I don’t know the details concerning your home but I know that God knows them. As for the decision on what to do, you alone must decide.
 
Praying7 said:
I am also struggling with the question of vocation and what to do as a profession. Just know that everyone reaches some point in their lives when they ask themselves what the whole purpose of their lives is. Prayer is very important but also receiving the sacraments frequently. And be patient! Whenever God wills it, you will know His Will. As for now, personally I chose to try to be faithful to my current responsibilities. I am confident that if I am faithful in what I am supposed to be doing at this stage then God is preparing me for what He wants later. As for your mum’s wish for you to be a doctor, I would also pray about that. I don’t know the details concerning your home but I know that God knows them. As for the decision on what to do, you alone must decide.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your response. Yes, prayer is important and so is receiving the sacraments frequently. So, like you, I should be faithful to my current responsibilities? Sigh… Yes, I have to pray for that. I should pray too that the decision I make coincides with what God wants. Thanks for your words.
 
I struggle everyday with trying to figure out what I’m supposed to be doing, or even what I want to do.
When I ask, people say to look at your interests and skills that God has blessed you with.
Click to expand...
My problem is that I really have no interests or skills. It seems like everyone has something that grabs their attention, but I don’t. I want my faith to be part of my life, but I feel no calling to religious life or anything related to the church that I could make a career out of. I don’t really see anything in the secular world that’s appealing either. I suppose I might like to get married, but it scares me too.

I just don’t know what I’m here for.
 
pollynova said:
I struggle everyday with trying to figure out what I’m supposed to be doing, or even what I want to do.

My problem is that I really have no interests or skills. It seems like everyone has something that grabs their attention, but I don’t. I want my faith to be part of my life, but I feel no calling to religious life or anything related to the church that I could make a career out of. I don’t really see anything in the secular world that’s appealing either. I suppose I might like to get married, but it scares me too.

I just don’t know what I’m here for.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your response. I feel the same. People tell me though that there must be something I take a liking to. For example, what are your hobbies? How skilled are you and how long have you been at it? Can you see yourself doing this professionally in the future?

When the answer can’t seem to come around, they tell me to pray. Talk to God and reflect basically. It’s a trite saying to encourage prayer but it does help. Hang out with your friends, see what they’re up to. Do something together and you’ll find something you like to do. They can help you figure some things out too with you in terms of what your interests and skills are.

When the answer still won’t come around, perhaps speak to your parents and ask them what they envisioned you as. See if their ideas are something you can perhaps try out. Trial and error after all. I hope you’ll be able to find your vocation and career. God bless!
 
Rivii said:
Thanks for your response. I feel the same. People tell me though that there must be something I take a liking to. For example, what are your hobbies? How skilled are you and how long have you been at it? Can you see yourself doing this professionally in the future?

When the answer can’t seem to come around, they tell me to pray. Talk to God and reflect basically. It’s a trite saying to encourage prayer but it does help. Hang out with your friends, see what they’re up to. Do something together and you’ll find something you like to do. They can help you figure some things out too with you in terms of what your interests and skills are.

When the answer still won’t come around, perhaps speak to your parents and ask them what they envisioned you as. See if their ideas are something you can perhaps try out. Trial and error after all. I hope you’ll be able to find your vocation and career. God bless!
Click to expand...
I do pray about it, but no answers yet.

I don’t really have any close friends. I did call my foster parents today to ask what they thought and they said they don’t really know. They told me to pray about it. :confused:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top