~ A Reflection on Calling, Identity, and Purpose ~
At 18 years old, I stood on the edge of the Pacific Ocean in Tijuana, Mexico. It was early morning, and the city was still quiet, the air still cool. I had come on a short-term mission trip—one of those life-shaping experiences young people often take part in. But while the trip had many good moments, there was an undercurrent in my soul that I couldn’t shake. I was deeply restless.
Like many at that age, I was wrestling with the age-old question: What am I going to do with my life? The question wasn’t merely about choosing a career or selecting a major. It was about direction. Identity. Calling. Deep down, I wanted to serve God, to live a life that mattered. But I couldn’t see how that desire was supposed to take shape.
That morning, I took my Bible and sat by the water, unsure of what I was looking for. The waves crashed steadily, like the noise of life pressing in, and I opened the Word of God with a heart full of questions and anxiety. I remember the weight I carried—the uncertainty, the fear of getting it wrong. And then, as I read, a phrase caught me and held me: “Make it your ambition…”
That was it. That was the phrase that resonated so deeply, it was as if God had paused all the noise just to speak that one line into my soul.
Make it Your Ambition to Live Quietly
The full verse I had stumbled upon was 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12:
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
That morning by the sea, something clicked. I’m a quiet person by nature. I’ve never sought the spotlight. I’m not the one to draw attention in a crowd. And in a culture that celebrates charisma and loud success, I had begun to wonder if I was cut out for “big” things. But here, in Scripture, was an ambition made for the quiet soul.
I began to see that faithfulness wasn’t about being flashy or having an impressive title. It was about living in such a way that even the quiet things—working with your hands, taking care of your responsibilities, honoring the Lord in everyday decisions—could become a testimony to the world.
I left Mexico still uncertain about the details of my future, but I carried that verse with me like a compass.
Fast forward twenty years.
I bought a business. Literally—I signed papers, took the risk, and stepped into ownership. But that moment on the beach in Mexico never left me. In fact, it shaped how I made that decision. I didn’t buy the business to impress anyone. It wasn’t about achieving success in the world’s eyes. It was about faithfulness. About continuing to walk in that same call—to live quietly, work with my hands, and bring honor to the Lord.
The funny thing is, when I was 18, I thought calling meant a role: maybe missions, maybe ministry, maybe something big and visible. But now, I see it differently. Calling isn’t first about occupation. It’s about orientation. It’s not primarily about what you do—it’s about who you are and how you live.
Calling Is About Character, Not Career
Many of us are trained to ask, “What am I supposed to do with my life?”—as if the right answer will unlock fulfillment. But Scripture often shifts the focus. God is deeply concerned with who we are becoming. The call to “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life” is a reminder that faithfulness often looks like consistency, humility, and integrity more than public success.
We live in a culture that rewards visibility, but the kingdom of God values obscurity when it’s filled with obedience.
There’s nothing wrong with big dreams or bold steps—God calls many into high-impact public roles. But for many others, calling looks like showing up, working honestly, loving deeply, and walking humbly. It looks like the long obedience in the same direction. Like faithfulness in the unseen.
The Work of Our Hands Matters
Paul’s instruction to “work with your hands” wasn’t metaphorical. He was calling the Thessalonians to live productive, responsible lives—not to chase after ambition in the worldly sense, but to be diligent, dependable, and respectful in their labor. That matters to God.
When I stepped into business ownership, I did it with this mindset: this is an act of service. Not just to customers, but to the Lord. Owning a business is hard work. It’s not glamorous. It requires long hours, difficult decisions, and quiet perseverance. But it’s also sacred work—because God sees it. He honors it.
Whether you’re managing a company, raising children, cleaning laundry, fixing cars, writing code, or serving coffee—when done with a heart to glorify God, it becomes holy.
Your Daily Life Can Be Your Witness
Paul says that living this way “may win the respect of outsiders.” That’s significant. We don’t need a platform to bear witness to Jesus. Sometimes the loudest testimony is the quiet faithfulness of a life well-lived.
That moment in Mexico shaped me for decades. I didn’t need a lightning-bolt calling—I needed a lifelong mindset: Make it your ambition. Live quietly. Work with your hands. Honor God in the ordinary.
I was already doing that when I went to Mexico. I just didn’t recognize it yet. The trip wasn’t the beginning of my ministry—it was a continuation of what God was already doing in me. The same is true for many of us. You don’t need to wait for a dramatic assignment. You can start now.
For the Reader Asking, “What Should I Do With My Life?”
If you’re 18—or 28 or 58—and you’re sitting by your own metaphorical ocean, asking the same question I once did, take heart. God’s not hiding His will from you. He may not give you all the answers at once. But He will give you direction. And often, it sounds something like this:
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands… so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
—1 Thessalonians 4:11–12
It’s not flashy. It’s not a ten-step career plan. But it’s deeply freeing.
Your life doesn’t have to be impressive to be impactful. You don’t need a title to walk in your calling. If your heart is to honor the Lord, you’re already on the right path.
So serve where you are. Be faithful in the little things. Work with integrity. Love people well. Live a quiet life with deep roots in Christ. That kind of life doesn’t just glorify God—it bears fruit that lasts.
And who knows? Twenty years from now, you might look back and realize: that moment of clarity was never about a job. It was about becoming the kind of person who could walk with God—whatever the path.
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