Chapter 1: Escaping the Journey of Boredom — Finding Your God-Given Calling in 2025
Here’s the hard truth: too many people are living what I call the J.O.B. life—Journey of Boredom or Just Over Broke. You know the cycle. It’s Monday morning, your alarm blares, and before you even lift your head off the pillow, you’re already tired. You drag yourself to a job that drains you, spend all day waiting for it to end, and spend your evenings recovering just enough to do it again. You grind through the week, hoping Friday comes fast, and by Sunday night, that familiar dread creeps in. You wonder, Is this really what life is supposed to be about?
I have good news for you: God has so much more for you. In 2025, the world is shifting faster than ever before, and the opportunities to step into your divine purpose are greater than at any other time in history. You weren’t created to be stuck in survival mode. You weren’t designed to live Just Over Broke or trapped in a Journey of Boredom. You were made for a calling, a mission, and a life of purpose that ignites your spirit. And that calling comes from the One who made you.
Unpopular Opinion:
Your calling isn’t a role you perform—it’s a response to the voice of Jesus.
I often hear from people who deeply love Jesus but feel stuck, like they’ve missed something important. They ask, “Am I letting God down because I don’t know what my calling is?” They look around and see others launching ministries, leading non-profits, thriving in motherhood or a business or occupation, or getting married—and they wonder why their own path feels unclear or unremarkable.
Maybe that’s where you are too. You hear people confidently say, “God called me to…” and it makes you question, “Why hasn’t God called me like that? Did I miss it?”
But here’s the truth: when Jesus first called His disciples, He didn’t hand them a job description. He gave them an invitation.
“Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people.”
— Mark 1:17 (NLT)
Jesus called. They responded. That’s the order.
Before any mission, before any assignment, there was relationship.
Even when Jesus sent His disciples out in Mark 6:7, the Greek word proskaleó tells us He first called them to Himself. He drew them close before sending them out. The calling was intimacy. The assignment was action. That order still matters.
Yes, God gives assignments—to teach, to lead, to parent, to build—but don’t mistake your assignment for your calling. Assignments come and go. Your calling is constant: to live as a child of God, rooted in relationship with Him.
I’ve had different assignments over the years—working in sales and in business, on YWAM and Teen Challenge mission staff, being a dad, writing, teaching. I’m grateful for each one. But none of them define my calling. They are not my identity. They are not the point. When we confuse our assignment with our identity, we set ourselves up for confusion and heartbreak—especially when seasons change.
Here’s what’s steady:
My calling is to know God.
From that place, everything else flows.
Whether I’m on a mission team or in a checkout line, whether I’m healthy or hurting, whether I’m praised or unseen—my purpose remains: to know Christ and make Him known. The how may change. The who I belong to does not.
So if you’ve been comparing your life to someone else’s ministry or platform or title—pause.
If you are following Jesus and living from a heart surrendered to Him, you are exactly where you're supposed to be. You haven’t missed your calling. You’re living it.
So when someone asks, “What’s your calling?”—feel free to say:
“Jesus called me to follow Him. That’s where it all begins.”
Why Passion Matters in Your Calling
Passion isn’t just a personal preference—it’s often God’s divine clue to your purpose. The things that light you up? The gifts that come naturally to you? Those are spiritual fingerprints that God placed in your life as indicators of your assignment. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.” Your gift will make a way for you. Your calling isn’t something random; it’s part of God’s master design for your life.
Sadly, many people never step into their calling because they’ve been conditioned to settle. We’re told from a young age, “Get a safe job. Pay your bills. Retire someday.” And while wisdom in stewardship matters, playing it safe isn’t the same as walking by faith. Jesus didn’t call us to live cautiously—He called us to live boldly, trusting that He will provide.
In John 10:10, Jesus declares, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The Greek word for “full” here is perissos, meaning overflowing, abundant, beyond what’s expected. Jesus didn’t suffer and die so we could live half-hearted, uninspired lives. He came to offer us purpose and joy beyond anything the world can offer. You weren’t created to just make it through life. You were created to thrive in your purpose.
The Parable of the Talents: A Blueprint for Purpose
Let’s talk about the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Jesus tells the story of a master who entrusts three servants with different amounts of money (talents). Two of them take what they’ve been given and multiply it. They’re bold. They take risks. And when their master returns, they hear the words we all long to hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
But the third servant? He lets fear stop him. He buries his talent in the ground, and when his master returns, he’s rebuked—not for losing the money, but for doing nothing with it.
This parable isn’t just about money. It’s about what we do with what God has given us. Your talent—whether it’s teaching, building, leading, creating, encouraging—is a sacred trust. Are you using it? Are you multiplying it? Or are you burying it in a job that doesn’t honor your God-given gifts because you’re too afraid to step out?
In 2025, the world is hungry for people who will rise up and live out their purpose. The master is returning. The question is, what will you do with what He has given you?
2025 Is the Year to Break Free
The time is now. The world has shifted. We’re living in an age of unprecedented opportunity. You can launch a ministry from your living room. You can start a business that serves people around the world. You can share the gospel across digital platforms and reach hearts in places you’ve never even visited.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Before you were born, God had a plan. You were handcrafted for good works. You were not created to stay in a job that crushes your spirit. Your passion isn’t a coincidence—it’s the key to unlocking your divine assignment.
And when you step into your calling, work stops feeling like labor and starts feeling like worship. Colossians 3:23-24 reminds us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters... It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Your work becomes a living testimony when you are operating in your purpose.
Jesus: The Ultimate Example of Purpose-Driven Work
Jesus had a mission. He wasn’t drifting through life, unsure of why He was here. He was laser-focused on His purpose: “to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34). Every healing, every parable, every step was intentional. Jesus wasn’t driven by obligation. He was driven by love, passion, and obedience.
Jesus’ work wasn’t about survival. It was about fulfilling destiny. He modeled what it looks like to live a life poured out for God’s glory. And because of His obedience, the world was changed forever.
What if you followed His example? What if you lived every day knowing your work—whether in business, ministry, teaching, creating, or leading—was part of advancing the kingdom of God?
The Cost of Staying Stuck
Here’s what’s at stake if you don’t step into your calling: your joy, your peace, and your impact.
The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years. Why? Because fear kept them from entering the Promised Land. They doubted God’s provision. They complained. They were more comfortable in slavery than they were with the uncertainty of stepping into freedom.
Don’t let fear rob you of the calling God has for you. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God.” Stepping into your purpose takes faith. It’s not always easy. It may require sacrifice. But the reward? The abundant life Jesus promised.
And God is faithful to provide. Matthew 6:33 gives us the blueprint: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When you put His purpose first, He takes care of the rest.
Your Calling Will Bless Others
Your calling isn’t just for you—it’s for the world around you. 1 Peter 4:10 reminds us, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace.” You are a steward of grace. Your gifts are meant to bring life, healing, and hope to others.
Imagine if David had said no to the call and stayed in the sheep field. Imagine if Paul had ignored the Damascus road encounter. They both said yes. And because they did, history was changed.
Who’s waiting on you to step into your calling? Who’s waiting to hear your testimony, to be blessed by your gifts, to find hope through your obedience?
Final Word: Take the Leap in 2025
This is your year. No more settling. No more living Just Over Broke. No more Journey of Boredom. You were made for a divine calling, and now is the time to step into it.
Ask yourself:
1. What sets my heart on fire?
2. Where do my gifts meet the needs of the world.
3. Am I willing to take a step of faith and trust God to lead me?
God is calling. Your future is not behind a desk you hate. It’s in the passion He placed within you, ready to be unlocked for His glory.
Jesus came so you could live life to the full. It’s time to leave boredom behind and embrace your God-given destiny. Your calling is waiting.