A Guide To Knowing WHEN You’re Being Called – Step 3

You don’t wake up one day and know what you’re calling is. If you’re like most people in this world, you don’t even recognize WHEN you’re being called. Read on, and I’ll tell you how to take your next big step towards hearing your calling.

Recap: Steps 1 and 2 of your calling

We’ve been following the calling of Scott Harrison, the Founder and CEO of charity: water.  Scott didn’t know that he was being called to a different life, to a more significant life. But why would he?

Unfortunately, knowing when you’re being called to something of significance, isn’t always easy to see.

You have to look for it. You have to listen for it. You have to experience it. And then, when you’re confronted with a decision, you need choose, and take a step towards it.

We saw that the first step in Scott’s journey, was that he was FED-UP with all the pain and the discouragement in his life. His next step, was that he OWNED-UP to his mistakes and to his failures and to the role he had played in bringing that pain on himself.

What do you think his next step was?

 Step 3: It’s the hardest step towards your calling

After fearing for his life because a bouncer with a gun wanted him dead, Scott became absolutely clear about what he wanted to do next, and Scott took the third big step towards knowing that he was being called:

Scott GAVE-UP.

He GAVE-UP the life that held him back.

So the next morning, Scott grabbed his essentials, stuffed them into his backpack, locked the door of his New York City apartment, stepped out into a new life and never looked back.

He left it ALL behind.

In Scott’s words from his book Thirst, “It felt scary to think about leaving behind everything we’d built, everything we were still building. But at the same time, taking off felt exhilarating.”

Being able to GIVE-UP what you know is hard. Being able to GIVE-UP your past is hard. Being able to GIVE-UP doesn’t happen over night; it’s a journey, it’s a process of self-discovery, and it can be scary. But you need to take this step, if you’re going to move forward towards your calling.

“So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us.” Heb 12:1, GNT

When you GIVE-UP “everything that gets in the way” you can free yourself to run the race that’s before you, not behind you. You can look at the life that’s ahead of you, and not be bound by your past.

It’s like this, envision you’re running a marathon, and you’re running with a group of “friends” who didn’t train, stop at every bar for a drink, lounge at every water station for a smoke, and complain incessantly about every part of their body that hurts.

Do you think you’re going to finish that race towards the front, or at the very back?

Friends, I want you to finish the race at the front! So rid yourself of the baggage that’s dragging you down, so you can run the race that’s calling out to you.

Yes it will be hard because you will leave behind relationships and possessions that once made you feel good, but now, you need to focus on your race. The race you’re destined to run.

Scott Harrison could never have heard his calling until he completely removed himself from his limitations. Scott Harrison could never have moved towards his calling until he left behind the self-defeating relationships that marred his life.

Millions of people around the world, are now very thankful that Scott Harrison had the courage to GIVE-UP.

Be Wise and Successful…

1.  GIVE-UP. Take 10 minutes and write down those limitations or negative influences that are holding you back. What do you need to leave behind?

2. Envision. Take 10 minutes and picture the possibilities that will come to you, the positive impact you will have on others and the world, when you GIVE-UP your limitations.

3. Share. Call a friend and share what you’re doing. You may need some help to break free. Scott called his friend Brandt, who responded with this encouragement: “Scott…I know you’re onto something. Just follow that voice. I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”