The concept of “calling” can be confusing and make some of us feel “left out.” Arianna Molloy redirects our understanding.
Elisa

Calling as a Process
by Arianna Molloy
There’s this mythic idea of calling, that it will fall upon you in bright golden rays from heaven, with a loud voice calling out your name. We certainly might have crystal clear epiphany moments, but they aren’t isolated. They are connected to a larger story, to other pieces of the puzzle. We need to pay attention to the little things.
As we notice what we are drawn toward, we can look for ways this might be integrated into our calling. It’s good to listen and look for those moments of feeling called. The trick is that in the actual moment, we don’t often see the larger implications. It isn’t until we look back, until we see our story unfolded, that the patterns emerge.
Why does it matter that calling is a process, that it involves continual development, and that not everyone has the same ability or opportunity to experience calling in work? Too often we confuse a calling with a particular title (psychologist, pastor, parent, mentor, student) when we should see it as a combination of skill sets and passions that can be applied to a number of different occupations. In this way, our specific calling is always tied to, and should rest under, our general calling.
A little while ago, I was at a weekend BBQ, talking with my friend Evelyn, a fortysomething mother of two, who survived a very scary and long season of cancer. Prior to her diagnosis, she was a therapist. However, after the trauma of her cancer experience (which included several surgeries, chemo, radiation, and major life changes), she realized she couldn’t sit in a room all day, listening to the burdens of others. It just wasn’t good for her well-being.
As Evelyn was setting up the food, she shyly shared that she’d gotten into real estate. I responded with, “Oh, that’s wonderful! And with your counseling background, you’ll be so good at that.”
She paused, looking rather shocked. “I’d never thought of that. I actually felt ashamed I couldn’t handle being a therapist anymore. And for a while now I’ve wanted to pursue real estate but was embarrassed by what others might think. And I felt guilty that I wouldn’t be applying my degree.”
I reaffirmed that I thought her background in psychology would give her an incredible advantage in her new profession. She’d still be using her skill set and the passions that ignite her, just in a different way.
The next morning, I received a text from her: “I wanted to thank you for your words of encouragement yesterday. I appreciate you saying that we can apply our skills (God-given) to many different jobs, and it isn’t the job that defines our skills. That’s so empowering and releases so much shame and unnecessary pressure!”
Like any relationship, calling can shift and change in seasons of our life. The Caller doesn’t change, but the way we enact our calling might. Here’s what that means: your calling process is your own. Don’t let anyone belittle your boundaries or your dreams. Yes, you might need to grow, but others don’t know your process, you do. Find wise counsel from those you value and know well, whose lives you want to learn from.
When we recognize that calling is not a one-time thing but rather an ongoing process, it means that what we’re doing now has the potential to be part of that process. Even if we’re in a place of burnout right now, this can help inform our calling if we let it.
Taken from Healthy Calling by Arianna Molloy. Copyright (c) 2025 by Arianna Molloy. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press. www.ivpress.com

Arianna Molloy (PhD, University of Denver) is associate professor of organizational communication at Biola University. Her research focuses on meaningful work, work as a calling, and the connection between humility and burnout in the workplace. She is the author of Healthy Calling. She is an award-winning scholar and educator who has published in the International Journal of Business Communication, Communication Studies, and Christianity Today. Arianna is also a consultant for organizations, business professionals, and ministries. Arianna and her husband, Allen, have one son and enjoy running half marathons, traveling the world, and drinking good coffee.
Comments