Reclaim Your Calling - Called

Reclaim Your Calling

Scripture References

Primary text

• Ephesians 4
• 1 Corinthians 1:26
• Romans 11:29

Other references

• Ephesians 2
• Colossians 3:17
• Philippians 3:12-14

Overview

We are not spectators at church; we are “the called-out ones.” In a season of exhaustion and cultural tension, Craig Groeschel urges believers to reclaim the conviction that God has set us apart, gifted us, and empowered us for His purposes. Building from Paul’s words about living “worthy of the calling,” the message walks through what every follower of Jesus is called to, why feelings of inadequacy need not disqualify us, and how calling both costs and sustains us. The goal: awaken a holy confidence that moves us from discouragement into daily, purposeful service.

Context

The talk comes amid a difficult year marked by COVID-19 shutdowns, racial pain, and political division, all of which have drained many Christians’ passion. Craig speaks “pastor-to-pastor” to every believer, asking them to feel the weight of their shared ministry.

Main Points

“You are called by God”

“You are called by God.”

• Church is not an add-on; we are the church, sent to carry Jesus’ grace into the world.
• Satan often uses discouragement, not destruction. Remembering our calling is the antidote.

Three Universal Callings

1. Salvation – Before any task, God calls us to Himself. Jesus “did not come for the righteous… but for sinners.”
2. Sanctification – We are “set apart,” learning to live a holy life that looks different from culture.
3. Service – Every believer receives unique gifts to use “whatever you do… in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17).

• Illustration: Craig’s own journey—from a partying business major to kneeling alone on a softball field after reading Ephesians 2—shows the tug of salvation, the awkward learning curve of sanctification (celebrating conversion by getting drunk because he “didn’t know any better”), and the inevitability of service that followed.

God Prepares the Called, Not the Prepared

• 1 Corinthians 1:26 reminds us that God often chooses those who are “not wise… not influential… not of noble birth.”
• Feelings of ignorance (“What about dinosaurs?”) or imperfection (“I lost my cool in traffic”) do not negate calling.
• Craig’s decision to plant Life.Church required leaving a beloved mentor; criticism confirmed rather than canceled the call.

Two Qualities of Calling

1. Calling Costs

• Acts 9 account: God tells Ananias that Saul is “my chosen instrument,” yet He will “show him how much he must suffer.”
• Stepping into calling means stepping out of comfort—misunderstanding, private pain, spiritual attack, and sacrifice are normal.
• “Never sacrifice your calling on the altar of comfort.”

2. Calling Sustains

• Paul endured beatings, prison, shipwrecks, and abandonment because he was called, not merely competent (Philippians 3:12-14).
• Personal application: in the hardest ministry year of his life, Craig keeps showing up because the call is irrevocable.

Reclaiming Your Calling Today

• Romans 11:29: God’s gifts and call “can never be withdrawn.”
• Even if COVID disrupted rhythms or sin created distance, the call remains intact.
• We shine Christ’s light in mothers-day-out programs, neighborhood associations, workplaces, gyms—wherever God has placed us.

Key Truths

• Calling begins with belonging to Jesus, not with doing for Jesus.
• God makes us worthy of His calling by His power, not our résumé.
• Criticism and pain often signal you are walking in genuine calling.
• Calling demands faith that ventures beyond logic and comfort.
• Because God’s call is irrevocable, failure or drift need not be final—return and resume the mission.

Response

• Receive—if you have not, answer God’s call to salvation in Christ.
• Submit to ongoing sanctification; let Scripture and the Spirit reshape daily habits.
• Serve intentionally: identify one environment this week where you are God’s “chosen instrument” and act.
• Reject discouragement by rehearsing 1 Corinthians 1:26 and Romans 11:29 aloud.
• Embrace necessary costs; trade comfort for kingdom impact.

Closing

Craig prays that God would “make you worthy of His calling” and bring every Spirit-prompted desire to fruition. He urges believers to raise a hand—or type in the chat—and declare they are reclaiming their call. The final invitation is twofold: Christians renew their resolve to serve, and seekers say yes to Jesus, beginning the journey where all callings start.

Prayer

Father, stir Your church. By Your Word and Spirit, renew our passion, restore to us the joy of salvation, and empower us to live lives worthy of the calling we received in Christ Jesus.