I love New Year planning. Getting out my new planner, making plans for being more organized, and hoping for progress in the new year. There are so many questions to ask when you’re setting goals: What do I want to accomplish next year? How can I improve my life? How can I have a healthy, organized, and prosperous new year? Setting goals isn’t wrong, but I’ve realized there’s a deeper question we rarely ask: Am I pursuing goals—or am I asking God for my calling?
This week on the Orderly podcast, I explored why following God’s calling—not chasing goals—is the path to true purpose, transformation, and joy. Here’s what I shared.
Goals vs. Calling
Goals are about us. They focus on achievement, control, and outcomes. They measure success in milestones and checklists.
Callings, on the other hand, are Jesus-sent. They are missions from God, given to ordinary people. Callings require listening to Jesus, obeying his voice, and waiting on him. They are rarely linear and often require years and sometimes decades of waiting.
Some biblical examples illustrate this beautifully:
- Joseph dreamed of ruling his brothers—but spent 22 years in hardship before it came true.
- David was anointed king—but waited 15 years before taking the throne.
- Isaiah prophesied the coming of Jesus—and 700 years passed before the prophecy was fulfilled.
Callings don’t come on a schedule we can control—they align with God’s timing.
Our Need for Control
I came across an Instagram account this week that highlighted just how tempting control can be. A woman decided to outsource her goals to AI. She told ChatGPT what she wanted, and every day it guided her on what to do.
In just a year, she achieved measurable results: her health improved, her home became organized, and her finances transformed. Over 50,000 followers were impressed by her progress and followed her lead.
I have to admit it’s tempting. There’s a part of me eager to give over my time, energy and decisions over to something that promises results.
But my calling is different. It’s not about what I want–it’s about what God wants to do through me. It’s about bringing light into darkness, being active in the Kingdom and outsourcing my trust to Jesus.
CHASING YOUR CALLING
God’s word is consistent when it comes to patterns of people giving over their calling to God.
- Divine Intervention
God calls ordinary, flawed people.. Moses was tending sheep when a burning bush interrupted his day. Joseph was only a teenager when God spoke to him in a dream. Mary was a young girl starting her life and planning a wedding when an angel visited her. Jonah took off on God, and Paul thought he was on a God sent mission when he was blinded on the side of the road. God is the initiator of our calling, not us.
2. A Calling Doesn’t Drive Out Fear
Your calling will likely come with doubt, fear, and overwhelming feelings of inadequacy. Moses had communication limitations and didn’t think he was skilled enough. Jonah feared more for his life than what God wanted to accomplish. Samuel was a young boy. Joseph was sold, imprisoned, and separated from his family. God’s call doesn’t remove fear—it exposes it.
3. Obedience over Outcomes
God is looking for obedience, not certainty or outcomes. David faced Goliath with just a slingshot. Joshua marched silently around Jericho with a band of musicians. Moses stepped into the Red Sea holding only a staff. Faithful action precedes visible results. Outcomes are not the goal when you obey your calling.
4. Transformation
Callings reshape lives. Paul went from persecuting Christians to leading the Church. Moses confronted Pharaoh. Peter went from denying Jesus to preaching boldly before thousands. A calling transforms us before it transforms the world.
5. God’s Preparation
God strengthens and prepares those He calls—but rarely in the ways we expect. God’s preparation often comes with pain, hard lessons, humbling and removing things from your life. Preparation comes in the wilderness, the prison cell, and long waiting periods—all of which strip away self-reliance and force us towards dependence on Jesus. Calling is powered by God’s presence, not our competence.
What This Means for You
If you’re feeling restless with productivity culture, self-help formulas, or simply wondering, “What am I really here for?”—this is your invitation to pause.
- Ask. God has likely been waiting for you to ask.
- Listen. Be persistent, attentive, and open.
- Prepare to be reshaped. God often removes what you rely on so you can rely on Him.
- Wait. Some visions take decades to unfold.
As we step into a new year, maybe the question isn’t, “What goals should I set?”
Maybe it’s, “Jesus, what are You calling me to?”
Reflection Questions
- What goals have you been chasing that might actually be God’s call in disguise?
- Where have you experienced waiting, and how has it shaped you?
- How can you practice listening for God’s next step rather than trying to activate it yourself?
