Doesn’t My Vocation Happen by Default?
Isn’t It God’s Will Anyway?
God has blessed you with the gift of free will. Why? Because love cannot be forced. You can’t force a friendship. You can’t force a relationship either. God wants to be in relationship with you and to be a key part of your life. You are not a puppet on a string. You have a say in the matter and God invites you to partner with Him to fill the world with His mercy and love, to continue the mission of Jesus.
So, it’s a partnership. If you have a business partnership, for example, it necessitates communication and relationship between the partners; otherwise, the business will be negatively affected. It’s the same with God. While God has a plan – His will – we are invited to partner with Him in manifesting it. Why? Because God knows you best and has a purpose for you. You have a necessary role in God’s will!
You see, God allows you to choose, and He’s hoping you will grow to love Him fiercely with not just your heart, but with your life and the way you choose to live it. You have a say in how your life plays out … but God would like to see you have a life that is filled with meaning and purpose, joy and love – a life that only He can guide you to what is good and fulfilling for you. “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10). Because God has placed your deepest desires within you, only He can fulfill them.
As Fr. Michael reminds us in Scivias Episode 26:
“In Catholic Theology, we believe that our cooperation is essential for salvation. It is of course 100% God’s grace, but He still gives me the freedom to resist and reject that grace or to embrace and let it permeate my life. The same is true with our vocations, God has a plan for each one of us, but He gives us the freedom to accept it or not. Ultimately, He’s the one who knows what’s best for us and the world, but even once we know God’s will, we have to choose to do it.”
God certainly has a purpose for your desires, which can be manifested in a variety of different ways that go beyond your current vision – just look at what God did with the desires of the people of the Bible and the saints!
God knows how your purpose can be best fulfilled, so you must connect with Him to discover how to best manifest His love through a vocation – both the little ones (through a career, civic duty, or supporting a particular charity, for example) and the big ones (sacramental marriage, religious life, or priesthood).
Begin to find your answers today. Take time with God, ask and listen, then connect with us! You’re not in this alone – we understand all this very well and want to be of support on this journey with you.