The Danger of Denying Your Calling
In Made For These Times, I tell the story of actor Andrew Garfield, who before his first big performance in London was so unsure of himself, so convinced he was a fraud, that he considered throwing himself in the River Thames to end it all.
But it was the song of a nearby street performer who brought him back from the brink. A beautiful song, played poorly, revealed to Garfield the courage it takes to share one's craft imperfectly. Garfield remembers the clouds parting and God grabbing him by the scruff of the neck as he realized that it wasn’t the fear of the performance that would kill him...
What would kill him is never stepping on the stage at all.
I've been having a number of conversations lately about this very idea
Time and time again I hear of people who’ve begun to believe they’re meant to do something in this world - made in a special way for the times we find ourselves in. But the pursuit of purpose is scary. And stepping into what you're destined to do feels so terrifying, it’s far safer to put it off until tomorrow. Or maybe next year.
Like Andrew Garfield’s discovery on the River Thames, I believe there is a reason you are alive today. I believe there is a calling from God designed for your specific abilities, background, and expertise. But to deny it, to bury it, over time, is the most dangerous decision of all. The regret of a purpose unearthed will eventually rot you from the inside out.
As Myles Monroe poignantly said,
“The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without purpose.”
Maybe you’re like me. Despite feeling inadequate and imperfect, in certain times of your life, if the setting is just right, you’ve envisioned the person you were born to be.
It is those small windows of cosmic alignment you MUST pay attention to. Stitch them together with conversations, prayers, and journal entries. Layer them on top of each other with small but tangible action to build the daily habits you need to put one foot in front of the other on your journey toward significance.
Trust me. You were made for this. And you’re never going back. Learn more by picking up Made For These Times today.
- Justin