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Discerning the Call — How a Person Knows God Is Calling Them

If defining the call gives us a biblical foundation, discerning the call is where the struggle truly begins. Many believers—especially those who grew up in church or have served faithfully—wrestle with the question: “How do I know if God is calling me into pastoral ministry?”

It’s a question every pastor should ask, and every aspiring leader must answer honestly. Some feel drawn to ministry because they love the Bible, or leadership, or helping people. Others feel a desire to compensate for past pain or prove themselves to God. Some want purpose. Some want impact. Some simply want to do something meaningful with their lives.

But the call of God is not discovered through emotional impulse or personal ambition. It is discerned through the Spirit’s work, Scripture’s clarity, the church’s affirmation, and the evidence of God’s grace in a person’s life.

As someone who has spent more than twenty years coaching and developing leaders—and who has walked through my own seasons of questioning, resisting, and ultimately surrendering to God’s call—I know the weight of this process. Discernment is not simple. But Scripture gives us a framework that is both clear and reliable.

This post is designed to help pastors guide others, and to help those wrestling with their own sense of calling sort through the noise and hear God’s voice clearly.


1. The Call Begins with a God-Given Desire, Not Human Aspiration

Paul writes:

“If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.”
— 1 Timothy 3:1

At first glance, this sounds like personal ambition. But the Greek word for “aspires” indicates a desire placed within by God—a Spirit-stirred longing that is noble, holy, and others-centered.

This desire is different from wanting a microphone, a platform, or influence.
It is a deep burden.
A pull.
A holy weight.
A sense that you cannot shake.

A true God-given desire is marked by:

  • A burden for people

  • A longing to shepherd

  • A hunger to teach truth

  • A passion for discipleship

  • Joy in serving behind the scenes

  • A willingness to sacrifice

If someone desires the work but not the weight, they are not sensing God’s call—they are sensing personal ambition.


2. The Call Grows in the Soil of Faithfulness, Not Fantasy

God rarely calls people out of nowhere.
He calls people out of faithfulness.

When Moses met God at the burning bush, he was faithfully shepherding sheep.
When Gideon was visited by the angel, he was working—even in fear.
When David was anointed, he was faithfully tending flocks.
When the first disciples were called, they were working their everyday jobs.

God tends to call people who are already living lives of obedience, consistency, and service—even if unnoticed.

This is why discernment requires honest reflection:

  • Am I faithfully serving where I am?

  • Do I show up consistently?

  • Am I trustworthy?

  • Do I love people well?

  • Do I follow before I expect to lead?

A person who is unwilling to be faithful in the quiet seasons cannot be trusted with the weight of shepherding souls.


3. The Call Is Revealed Through a Burden That Will Not Leave

Jeremiah experienced this when he tried to suppress God’s call:

“His word is in my heart like a fire… I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”
— Jeremiah 20:9

Most pastors know this feeling.
It’s not glamorous.
It’s not dramatic.
It’s often uncomfortable.

A calling feels less like excitement and more like assignment.

It feels like:

  • A fire in the bones

  • A restlessness of the spirit

  • A conviction that ministry is what you must give your life to

  • A deep sense that you were born for this work

  • A weight you can’t ignore, even if you want to

If a person can walk away from ministry and feel relief, they likely sensed desire but not calling.
But if the burden refuses to leave—even in discouragement—God may be calling.


4. The Call Is Confirmed Through Spiritual Gifts and Fruit

If God calls someone to pastor, He also equips them to pastor.

This does not mean they start fully developed. None of the apostles did. Every pastor grows, matures, and develops over time. But there will be early signs:

1. People naturally seek them out for guidance.

Not because of a title, but because of trust.

2. They can handle Scripture clearly and faithfully.

They love the Word, understand it, and want to teach it.

3. They build up and strengthen others.

People walk away encouraged, challenged, or corrected with love.

4. They carry spiritual weight.

Their presence brings stability, not chaos.

5. They produce fruit where they serve.

Even in small assignments, people grow under their influence.

Calling without fruit is fantasy.
Calling with fruit is confirmation.


5. The Call Is Clarified Through Trials, Testing, and Refining

Every true calling is tested.
Every false calling collapses.

This is why God allows hardship, disappointment, and pruning in the lives of those He is preparing. The testing is not punishment—it is proof.

Testing reveals whether someone longs for ministry or longs for God.

In my own journey, there were seasons of deep discouragement, seasons of transition, and seasons where I stepped away from pastoral work altogether—not because I abandoned the call, but because God was refining my understanding of it. Those years did not weaken the call; they purified it.

Trials often bring clarity:

  • Is ministry a preference or a calling?

  • Am I willing to stay faithful when no one is watching?

  • Does my passion remain even when there is pain?

If a person emerges from testing with deeper conviction, God is strengthening them for the work ahead.


6. The Call Is Recognized by Others Before It Is Announced by the Individual

One of the greatest indicators of calling is when others see it before the person does.

Pastors, mentors, and spiritually mature believers often discern calling in someone long before that person feels ready or aware. This is because calling is visible in behavior long before it becomes visible in position.

Signs others will notice:

  • A shepherd’s heart

  • Unusual compassion

  • Influence with peers

  • Emotional and spiritual maturity

  • A hunger for God’s presence

  • A willingness to sacrifice for others

  • Leadership instincts

  • Love for the Church

If trustworthy believers repeatedly say, “I see something in you,” do not ignore it. God often speaks through His people before He speaks through circumstances.

And if no one is affirming the call—if no pastor, elder, mentor, or mature believer sees evidence—it may be a sign to wait, slow down, or reevaluate.

Calling is not self-proclaimed.
Calling is community-confirmed.


7. The Call Aligns With Scripture, Not Emotion

Many people confuse passion for calling.
They feel moved during worship, inspired by a sermon, or stirred during a conference. Passion is good. Emotion is not evil. But neither is calling.

Calling must match the biblical requirements in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:

  • Above reproach

  • Faithful in marriage

  • Self-controlled

  • Respectable

  • Hospitable

  • Able to teach

  • Not violent

  • Not quarrelsome

  • Gentle

  • Not greedy

  • Manages household well

God will never call someone to a role their character cannot sustain.
Gifts can take us where character cannot keep us.

Discerning the call requires brutal honesty:
Is my life aligned with Scripture?

If not, God may still call—but He will first sanctify before He sends.


8. The Call Produces Peace, Even When It Requires Sacrifice

There is always a moment in calling where a person stands at a crossroads:

“Do I obey, or do I hold back?”

Fear often rises.
Doubts surface.
Questions emerge.

But in the midst of all of it, God gives something unmistakable:
peace.

Not comfort.
Not ease.
Not certainty.

But a settled conviction that obedience is the right step.

Peace does not remove the sacrifice, but it confirms God’s presence in the sacrifice.

When God calls, you may wrestle—but you won’t run.


9. The Call Demands Surrender, Not Strength

Discerning the call is not ultimately about figuring something out.
It is about surrendering to what God already knows.

Moses argued.
Jeremiah resisted.
Jonah ran.
Timothy felt insecure.
Paul felt unworthy.

But they surrendered.

God does not ask the called to be strong; He asks them to be willing.
He does not ask the called to be confident; He asks them to be obedient.

The call always leads to surrender.


The Called Will Know—And Others Will too

If God is calling someone, He will make it known:

  • Through a Spirit-born desire

  • Through faithfulness in the present

  • Through a burden that won’t leave

  • Through fruit and gifting

  • Through testing and refining

  • Through the affirmation of others

  • Through alignment with Scripture

  • Through supernatural peace

  • Through surrendered obedience

God is not vague. His call is not confusing. He does not hide His will from those who seek Him.

The problem is rarely that God is unclear.
The problem is that we often do not slow down long enough to listen.

If you are a pastor, your job is to help those discerning the call listen—to guide, to test, to teach, to mentor, and to help them hear God with clarity.

And if you are the one wrestling with calling, remember this:

God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called. And if He is calling you, the call will follow you until you answer.



Pastor if you are feeling stretched, discouraged, or just in need of a little guidance, we want you to know—you don’t have to do this alone. At Small Church Guys, we exist to help pastors and churches stay in the game and lead in a healthy, sustainable way. Whether you need a listening ear, practical resources, or leadership support, we’re here for you. Call or message us anytime—we’d be honored to walk alongside you.


Send us a message; we're eager to talk with you!

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