Acts 13:1-5
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
Waiting for the Call?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if discerning God’s will was as simple as waiting for a call on a special hot line from heaven? Direct communication—preferably on a red phone—would cast any doubt or fear away. But for most of us, that’s not how it works.
In my experience, God uses a three-fold discovery process to reveal His will and calling upon my life. Biblical examples like Barnabas and Saul help us understand that this takes place over time and requires patience. The spiritual journeys of others confirm the way God uses this process to prepare those who are indeed “called.”
God’s Call is Planted in the Hearts of His Followers
God’s calling upon the lives of those who follow Him has general and specific elements. There is no question that all Christians are called to live godly lives, to proclaim the Good News of Christ, and to make disciples. The Bible reveals many non-negotiable aspects of God’s general will for our lives.
However, things get tricky when we get to the specifics. Does God want me to be a Systems Analyst? Where should I study and live? Should I be a missionary to an isolated tribe? Marriage or singleness? The Bible does not make clear declarations about many of the personal details of my life.
What the Scriptures indicate is God’s care and direction for my life. He knows about the intimate details of my life (Psalm 139). God’s will is good, pleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2), even if it’s not easy to live out. He is a personable God who wants to guide me (Psalm 119:105) and has a plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11). But how can I discover it?
My hopes and dreams, combined with personal interests or abilities, are a good indication of God’s specific leading in my life. These elements are deeply rooted in who I am as a person. Brought under the control and direction of the Holy Spirit, they can serve as a compass which points me in the right direction.
My Brazilian friend, Carlinhos, comes to mind when I think of the way God plants the seeds of His calling in our lives. He was a recent follower of Christ when he shared his dream to start a radio ministry. At the time Christian music was something new in the Brazilian church and the thought of a Christian disc jockey was a wild dream. At first, I humored Carlinhos, stating that “anything was possible with God.” Thankfully he wasn’t dissuaded. Today he hosts a weekly program which reaches hundreds of people. It took time for the dream to take root and later sprout, but from the first moments of his walk with Christ, God planted a dream in Carlinhos’ heart.
The elements of personal responsibility and background cannot be overlooked when discussing the will of God. These factors often include events or circumstances before we began our spiritual journey and form a part of the Master’s plan for our lives. Personal responsibility for the decisions I make is a hard truth to accept. The consequences of my decisions are a part of God’s will for my life and cannot be ignored. I need to make good choices, prepare myself according to the direction I am sensing, and honor biblical principles in my pursuit of realizing God’s calling upon my life. A “God made me do it” attitude when things don’t work out, or pulling out when circumstances are difficult, is not the way God works in our lives.
It is equally important to consider that nothing in our lives – past or present – escapes God’s attention. God allows us to go through experiences which He can use in the future. My wife and I know the pain of losing a child, and we struggled to see how this could be a part of God’s divine plan. As time progressed, our experience has opened many opportunities to minister to hurting people. All of life’s experiences, whether joyful or sorrowful, are woven into the fabric of God’s will for our lives.
The example of Barnabas and Saul in Acts 13:1-3 is not an isolated event. God had planted the seeds of a missionary calling in their lives long before. Barnabas lived most of his life on foreign soil and was indicated for the task, as he was multicultural and multilingual. Saul, from the first moments of his conversion and long before he was renamed Paul, was identified as a chosen vessel who would take the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). They did not just wake up one day and say, “Let’s be missionaries.” This was the culmination of a process which God used to prepare them for this moment.
As an International Worker I was often asked, when did you get “the call?” God used several factors and people to initiate a process which prepared my heart for what I came to recognize as my personal calling. He used the prayers of my parents and grandmother. I was challenged through the sermons, Bible studies, and visits of many I.W.s to my local church. Circumstances formulated a sense of destiny which helped to develop God’s calling upon my life. Over time these factors reconfirmed the direction God planted in my life years prior to getting on a plane and leaving for a distant country.
God’s Call is Nurtured through Significant People and Experiences
The journey God uses to indicate His will encompasses many significant people and experiences. Events and human vessels are the spring rains which nurture the seeds of His calling upon our lives. Without this process, the harvest of a clear sense of direction cannot occur.
Barnabas and Saul passed through a phase of preparation which watered the soil of their lives. This enhanced their ability to respond to God’s calling when the time came to leave Antioch. Both men sharpened each other during this process, developing godly character and a keen partnership (Proverbs 27:17). They were given the opportunity to hone their gifts and abilities in the school of practical experience. This led to a place and time where they were willing to leave the friendly confines of Antioch to go and preach in new territory.
One of the great misconceptions about the story of Paul and Barnabas is that the events took place over a relatively short period of time. It takes only minutes to read the material between the story of Paul’s conversion in Acts Chapter Nine and arrive at the events of Acts Chapter Thirteen. Paul’s own testimony confirms a timeline of 14 to 17 years between these chapters (See Galatians 1:18 - 2:1). That’s a far cry from the quick microwave preparation and discipleship process which is often equated with Paul’s ministry.
The preparation or nurturing phase in my life took place over a period of more than ten years. Many individuals were an integral part of my personal growth. There was an educational aspect to this phase when fine professors poured their lives into me through their teaching. There was an aspect of practical ministry, when colleagues and mentors shared their experience. There was a need for spiritual maturing to take place. God used ordinary men and women to spur me on to healthy growth in my relationship with Him. God used these people to cast their shadow of influence upon me, teaching me to recognize His plan for my life.
Tim Tjosvold was one of the people God used to plant the seeds of His calling upon my life. He and his wife Brenda were my youth leaders. They were preparing to serve as I.W.s in Africa. Tim’s love for people and emphasis on missions was contagious. His influence upon the youth group reflected his dreams and passions, producing fruit in the lives of many others who found themselves led to the four corners of the world.
Arnold Cook, former President of The Alliance Canada, was another significant person God used in my life during this phase. He had a way of being bluntly honest. He got straight to the real issues in a person’s life. His coy smile and approving wink became his trademark as he encouraged those under his ministry to make their “MIFG” – Maximum Impact For God.
God also uses significant experiences as signposts or landmarks of growth in our lives. Decisions made and lessons learned cannot be ignored when considering His guidance for our lives. For some, a special conference marks a pivotal point in their lives. Others speak of special times when they met with God. Often these events include a specific geographic reference, marking the mountain peaks encountered along the journey. Looking back on where we have come from helps us to press on to what lies ahead.
People who are growing in their awareness of God’s calling upon their lives are not sitting by the wayside waiting for something to happen. They are active participants in a journey which God initiates. During this process they rub shoulders with godly men and women, and something special rubs off on them. Spiritual gifts are honed, and ministry experience is acquired. Their sense of calling may be geographic, need-centered, or based on their unique giftedness. They may not have an official title or participate in up-front ministry, but their sensitivity to God’s purposes and their desire to be used by Him do not go unnoticed. This process takes time and is integral to nurturing God’s calling upon their lives.
God’s Call is Harvested through Obedience
The final phase of God’s calling is a positive response in obedience to His direction. In the life of Barnabas and Saul, as well in the lives of many others, this takes the form of an affirmative decision. It is almost as if God gives one final opportunity to test our willingness to obediently follow Him.
God’s sense of perfect timing is often described as a kairos moment. This term comes from the difference between the two Greek words for time: kairos and chronos. The word “chronological” comes from chronos, describing linear time or history. Kairos describes specific and significant moments in time. God’s intervention in our lives, bringing together past experiences, personal preparation, and a present opportunity is an example of a kairos moment.
Barnabas and Saul must have felt excited when the leaders of the Antioch church turned to them and said, “Well, are you willing to go?” Barnabas and Saul seem to have anticipated such an assignment. Their bags were packed, and they were on their way to Cyprus. This was the result of their times of prayer and sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit, but it was also a natural step of obedience, affirming God’s call and work in their lives. They left Antioch with clear direction and purpose.
My wife and I experienced a similar situation when we came to a point of decision in our lives. We were invited to consider a position as youth pastors for a growing congregation. It was an opportunity which included the chance to work with a respected, young pastor and his wife. We were finishing our studies at seminary and were tempted by the generous salary offered. We knew the church, loved the people, and would have been happy to accept their proposal.
We asked for a week to pray and think things over. Only one possible situation held us back from giving an immediate “yes.” We both sensed we were led to prepare for working overseas and needed to consider if this would impede our departure. The leadership of the church welcomed our request to pray through the implications of their offer. They applauded our desire to be 100% sure of God’s direction for our lives.
We didn’t need a week to discover God’s will. The next morning the phone rang. The Assistant to the Director of overseas ministry was on the other end of the line.
“We’ve been looking over your file and see you want to go to Brazil. Is that still the case?” she asked.
We thought our file was under a pile of other applications, dust-filled from the years we had not heard from the denominational office. In a few short moments we set up an appointment with the director. It was as if we had rounded the final corner and could see the finish line, leading us to a decision to go to Brazil. God’s kairos timing was evident; the culmination of a desire planted in our hearts, together with years of preparation and sensing His calling upon our lives.
Just why God places a final step of obedience in response to His call upon our lives, I do not know. Perhaps it’s like the icing on the cake or the cherry on the ice cream float. The final step of obedience is something that concretizes the preparation and process leading to the final moment of accepting God’s direction. Perhaps the final step of obedience seals a covenant in our souls to commit ourselves to hear His voice and follow His leading.
Knowing God’s will goes beyond sitting at a desk and waiting for a magic call from heaven. It involves time, patience, and growth in our lives. One thing is certain; God’s specific calling is revealed to those who are actively engaged in the process of knowing and doing God’s will. These are the people who receive “the call.”
The calling of Barnabas and Saul reveals a process which is common to people who are seeking God’s will. There is a phase of conception or planting. There is a period of growth and preparation which God uses to nurture His calling upon their lives. Often this journey cumulates with a kairos moment, requiring obedience and risk. God’s leading may even take the form of a timely phone call. This is a life-long journey of following and obeying God.
Respond to the following questions:
1. What are the seeds of God’s calling upon your life? At what point in your spiritual journey did you begin to sense God’s divine guidance?
2. How have you been nurtured during your maturing process? Who are the people or what are the circumstances which have resulted in the greatest growth in your life?
3. What is one step of obedience you took to seal an affirmation of God’s direction upon your life? How can you use this experience to help other people better understand God’s will and direction in their lives?
Author Bio
Dwayne Buhler currently serves with The Alliance Canada as a Police and Hospital Chaplain. He and his wife, Rhonda, have worked for over three decades as International Workers in Latin America and pastoral ministry in Canada. He is a Bible teacher and fan of the ordinary heroes of the Bible.
Luke and Acts taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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