How to Respond Undaunted When God Calls You

Too often, Christians sense God calling them to do something to help people in need, yet fail to take action because they’re afraid they won’t be able to handle the task. But whenever God calls people to do something, He empowers them to do it.

God is looking for people who will help redeem this broken world and are undaunted by the challenges involved in doing so. Here’s how you can become one of those people:

Let go of excuses. 

Identify what’s making you feel daunted by the prospect of saying “yes” to God when He calls you to help others: a lack of training, strength, money, time, energy, confidence, or something else that’s causing you to hesitate. Then recognize that those aren’t valid reasons to say “no” to God, because God has promised to provide whatever you need to do what He calls you to do. Decide to stop making excuses for not moving forward when you sense God calling you to do something. Instead, pray specifically about each issue that is causing you to feel daunted, and ask God to help you overcome it.

Invite God to fill up your soul with His love. 

Embrace the love that God offers you, knowing that He loves you completely and unconditionally, and opening yourself up to fully receive that love. When you do, God’s perfect love will cast out fear in your life, and you’ll be motivated to share His love with people in need.

Listen to God over the voices of other people. 

When other people try to limit you or undermine the confidence that God wants you to enjoy, choose to listen to God’s voice over theirs. Know that God has made you in His image and chosen you to do what He has uniquely designed you to do to help redeem this fallen world. Keep in mind that God has prepared good works of eternal significance for you to do, and that He has also promised to help you successfully do that work. Reject the negative labels and limitations that others impose on you, and choose to trust God to help you fulfill His important purposes for your life.

Pursue healing for past pain. 

Talk openly and honestly with God about the ways you’ve been hurt in the past, and how that pain of that is causing you to feel daunted about responding to His calls. Ask God to guide you through the process of healing from your pain so it won’t prevent you from doing what God wants you to do. Rely on God’s help to forgive people who have hurt you every time the memory of their hurtful behavior causes you to feel anger, mistrust, or bitterness. Trust in God’s promise that anything that people meant for evil, He can use for good in your life. Confess your disappointments to God, and ask God to give you the faith you need to respond to disappointment by continuing to entrust your future to Him. Seek comfort and encouragement in your church and with friends andfamily members who care about you. Read and meditate on God’s promises to you in the Bible. If you’ve suffered a broken heart or lost dream, help others get over theirs, and in the process, you’ll experience healing, too. Keep in mind that God will often use the suffering you go through to prepare you to minister to others who are going through a similar type of suffering. So, for instance, if you’ve grieved the death of a loved one, God may call you to help other grieving people. Expect God to bring good out of your pain.

Overcome fear. 

Don’t allow fear to run rampant through your life, or it will cause you to miss out on the opportunities to serve that God intends for you to step into. Ask God to give you the will to faithfully say “yes” to His calls, even in the face of fear. When you move forward even while feeling afraid, God will be with you every step of the way, helping you – and gradually, you’ll grow less afraid and more confident. Shift your focus away from circumstances that scare you and toward God, with whom all things are possible.