Is it possible to be completely "vocationless"?

[Bataar]

I grew up hearing that you need to follow God’s will in order to be happy (obviously there will still be suffering, but you get the idea). Now, someone like me in my situation is pretty much miserable. No ifs, ands or buts about it. It seems to me that that is a sign that I’m not living my vocation/following God’s will. However, now matter how much I pray about it, ask for guidance/change, nothing changes, not even a hint. Am I called to be vocationless?

 

[JD27076]

Everyone has a vocation.
Either its to Marriage, Holy Orders, celibacy with no Holy Orders…
Just keep praying and asking, maybe God is waiting for something in your life to occur before he reveals it to you.

I hopefully, have been revealed the vocation to the priesthood. I hope this is true and fulfill his duty.

 

[johnnyjones]

I often feel the same way, your not alone. My suggestion; stay employed or seek empoyment if needed in a field that pays the bills or you like, whatever works best. In your capacity of work (whateve it is), help people, share your faith. You will stumble but thats all about growth. things just happen when you get involved. A good line of work is security.
Helping, advising, protecting, enforcing.

 

[PerfectTiming]

No, we all have a vocation. Give yourself fully to God. Let Him guide your life completely and totally. Put your total trust in Him and He will guide you. Perhaps you are not being truly open to what God is trying to show you is your vocation. Is there something you are not being open to?

 

[Bataar]

No, we all have a vocation. Give yourself fully to God. Let Him guide your life completely and totally. Put your total trust in Him and He will guide you. Perhaps you are not being truly open to what God is trying to show you is your vocation. Is there something you are not being open to?

I think I’d be open to anything if I felt directed to it. Pretty much every time I saw the Rosary, one of my intentions is to find what I should be doing.

 

[LegoGE1947]

I often feel the same way, your not alone. My suggestion; stay employed or seek empoyment if needed in a field that pays the bills or you like, whatever works best. In your capacity of work (whateve it is), help people, share your faith. You will stumble but thats all about growth. things just happen when you get involved. A good line of work is security.
Helping, advising, protecting, enforcing.

Many places today it is “verbotten” to share your faith. As far as security I’m afraid of guns or other weapons.

 

[PerfectTiming]

I think I’d be open to anything if I felt directed to it. Pretty much every time I saw the Rosary, one of my intentions is to find what I should be doing.

What vocations have you considered? Maybe you need to look into the different vocations and states of life and you may find God speaks to you.

 

[LegoGE1947]

No, we all have a vocation. Give yourself fully to God. Let Him guide your life completely and totally. Put your total trust in Him and He will guide you. Perhaps you are not being truly open to what God is trying to show you is your vocation. Is there something you are not being open to?

I seem to spend much of my time just “spinning my wheels” I saw an article in a “Motor Trend” magazine (tongue in cheek) different ways to mess with your buddy’s car. One happened to be if your friend has a low-slung car, jack it up and put some blocks under the car so that the drive wheels are just off the pavement. When your friend gets into his/her car the car will start just fine but when the person puts the car in gear the car won’t go anywhere. The wheels will just spin. That’s what I feel like has happened to my life.

 

[Bataar]

What vocations have you considered? Maybe you need to look into the different vocations and states of life and you may find God speaks to you.

I believe there are only 2 vocations, religous life and marriage. I don’t feel called to religious life nor have I ever felt any inclination towards it and marrige, while it seems like something that would make me happy, does not seem like a posibility.

 

[Dorothy]

I believe there are only 2 vocations, religous life and marriage. I don’t feel called to religious life nor have I ever felt any inclination towards it and marrige, while it seems like something that would make me happy, does not seem like a posibility.

The single life, without being in the priesthood or a religious order, or married, is also a vocation.

Those who are called to the single life are, of course, to follow the Lord and cooperate with Him for their sanctification. They just need to “bloom where they are planted.”

 

[PerfectTiming]

I believe there are only 2 vocations, religous life and marriage. I don’t feel called to religious life nor have I ever felt any inclination towards it and marrige, while it seems like something that would make me happy, does not seem like a posibility.

Don’t forget the priesthood.

You might benefit from going on a retreat - spending some time away from the world and truly giving yourself space to listen to the Lord may be help you.

 

[johnnyjones]

Many places today it is “verbotten” to share your faith. As far as security I’m afraid of guns or other weapons.

You shouldn’t leave your faith at the door, but if it worries you that much don’t do it. Try not to buy into the medias hype on faith and employment. Also, if your looking for a vocation and want to incoporate that with the Lords work you will need to be less fearful in that area to begin with.

Not all security involves guns. Working in an office building meeting strangers and building occupants. There is a lot of “ligher approach” security readily available. Heping individuals is beneficial and exposes you to persons who may open up other doors.

 

[LegoGE1947]

You shouldn’t leave your faith at the door, but if it worries you that much don’t do it. Try not to buy into the medias hype on faith and employment. Also, if your looking for a vocation and want to incoporate that with the Lords work you will need to be less fearful in that area to begin with.

Not all security involves guns. Working in an office building meeting strangers and building occupants. There is a lot of “ligher approach” security readily available. Heping individuals is beneficial and exposes you to persons who may open up other doors.

Are you speaking of say a door greeter at a Walmart or other similar store? Seems like they would be a “lighter” approach to security. Or perhaps an usher in a theater or other event?

 

[johnnyjones]

Are you speaking of say a door greeter at a Walmart or other similar store? Seems like they would be a “lighter” approach to security. Or perhaps an usher in a theater or other event?

Yes, that is similar to what i mean. Also, sitting in a lobby, screening people who enter a building. It’s a way to meet multitudes of people and open all kinds of conversations. Sometimes you can work a later shift if your uncomfortable with too many people. Remember, there must be a fair give and take while conversing. You’ll be surprised at what may come your way. The Lord works through people, and thats what you may be missing. You will get some annoying people too, but thats all part of the walk

 

[LegoGE1947]

Yes, that is similar to what i mean. Also, sitting in a lobby, screening people who enter a building. It’s a way to meet multitudes of people and open all kinds of conversations. Sometimes you can work a later shift if your uncomfortable with too many people. Remember, there must be a fair give and take while conversing. You’ll be surprised at what may come your way. The Lord works through people, and thats what you may be missing. You will get some annoying people too, but thats all part of the walk

Sounds also like a good way to “Network” which I understand is a major way of obtaining a job.

 

[johnnyjones]

Sounds also like a good way to “Network” which I understand is a major way of obtaining a job.

Absolutely. You can then climb the latter into supervision or “graduate” into other types of security. The thing is sometimes you like what you think you wouldn’t.

“Sharing your faith” can mean giving smiles to those who don’t normally get them. Cheering up a downcast employee. Being in the right place at the right time to intervene. It’s all before you. Do the Lords work.

 

[LegoGE1947]

Absolutely. You can then climb the latter into supervision or “graduate” into other types of security. The thing is sometimes you like what you think you wouldn’t.

“Sharing your faith” can mean giving smiles to those who don’t normally get them. Cheering up a downcast employee. Being in the right place at the right time to intervene. It’s all before you. Do the Lords work.

Having been formerly an Evengelical, “sharing one’s faith” came to mean grabbing someone by the lapel and pressuring them to be “saved”. I want no part of that kind of stuff. I can agree with what you said about liking what you think you wouldn’t. I presently work part time at an Illinois Job Center office helping people look for employment opportunities. I didn’t think I’d like doing that at first but it has sort of grown on me, even when I have to deal with people who sometimes are not very nice!

 

[johnnyjones]

Having been formerly an Evengelical, “sharing one’s faith” came to mean grabbing someone by the lapel and pressuring them to be “saved”. I want no part of that kind of stuff. I can agree with what you said about liking what you think you wouldn’t. I presently work part time at an Illinois Job Center office helping people look for employment opportunities. I didn’t think I’d like doing that at first but it has sort of grown on me, even when I have to deal with people who sometimes are not very nice!

I was in Fundamentalism for 20 years. I purposely outlined that “sharing ones faith” can mean more than proselytizing. There are also more subtle ways of vocalizing your faith. No one is saying to be as aggressive as your experiences.

 

[LegoGE1947]

I was in Fundamentalism for 20 years. I purposely outlined that “sharing ones faith” can mean more than proselytizing. There are also more subtle ways of vocalizing your faith. No one is saying to be as aggressive as your experiences.

Okay, Maybe I’ve been sharing my faith at that job and didn’t know it! Sometime there are customers that are frustrated and pretty irate at the whole system of trying to find a job in this “digital age.” Like me they were used to things as they were 10-30 years ago where most places had paper applications and you didn’t have to know how to use a computer just to apply for a job. Since I’ve “been there, done that” I can emphasize with them and maybe deal with them better than someone younger who has been exposed to computers, smart phones, etc all their lives.

 

[marysdaughter1]

I grew up hearing that you need to follow God’s will in order to be happy (obviously there will still be suffering, but you get the idea). Now, someone like me in my situation is pretty much miserable. No ifs, ands or buts about it. It seems to me that that is a sign that I’m not living my vocation/following God’s will. However, now matter how much I pray about it, ask for guidance/change, nothing changes, not even a hint. Am I called to be vocationless?

One thing I would suggest is reading about St Ignatius and his spiritual exercises. What I bolded above sounds like a classic description of what St Ignatius refers to as a “time of desolation.”