Finding Your Calling
By Rodney Bullard
CEO The Same House PBC | Former Senior Executive at Chick-fil-A / Global CSR, ESG and Marketing Leader | Best-Selling Author | Former AUSA | Former Air Force JAG l Corporate and Non-profit Board Director
A “calling” begins with something we feel or are born to do. For some, it comes out of nowhere. For others, it’s ingrained from an early age, either from experience or an intense pull to a particular cause or mission. Neither is more worthy. Where the calling comes from is irrelevant. It’s the activity around it that matters.
I find that God gives you the desires of your heart and reveals them as your calling. My calling is wrapped up in a passion for people and my interest in caring for them. It is something I feel and know about myself, but it’s not what I’m called. There’s an interesting distinction between your calling and what you’re called or do for a living. Depending on the season of my life, I’ve been named an Air Force officer, an attorney, a businessperson, and a philanthropic leader. My label may change, but my calling remains consistent.
Whatever that strength is, whatever that talent is, if you think about the skills that we all possess, they all, at their core, bring people together. A musician like Bruno Mars has brought 75,000 people together listening to his music and the impact that his music has on those people. They’ve all decided to be there simultaneously and listen to the same music. Music has always done that historically. It’s brought people together, inspired them and the movements they’ve led and been a part of. So, you think about art, art is in the same fashion. It’s visual, but it brings people into a singular moment and understanding that this is beauty.
Sometimes people question how my calling intersects with my occupation. How can I be an attorney locking people up and still be a philanthropic or corporate leader? The single thread is taking care of people. As an attorney, I was charged with protecting our communities and streets as a federal prosecutor. I was taking care of people and families. As a philanthropist, I take care of people through prevention. I want to keep children off the streets, courtrooms, and jails. Instead, I want to offer hope, education, and opportunity. My passion for people is a thread that connects all my personal and professional efforts. My title may change, but my mission and vision are constant.
Discovering our calling is the bridge to what God has in store for us. It creates the path for us to walk as we journey through life. These bridges connect us to other people and allow us to be of service. This connects us to our futures and reveals the true meaning of who we are now and whom we are supposed to be.
Having a calling means you have been given a specific task or set of tasks during your time on earth. It is your mission, and it is unique to you. Everyone has a calling, though not everyone recognizes or understands it. Your calling might be as simple as being a good friend or neighbor, or something more specific, like working in a certain profession or contributing to a particular cause.
There is no single formula for finding your calling. It might come to you in a sudden flash of inspiration, or it might be something you gradually become aware of through prayer and reflection. You might feel drawn to a particular activity or interest, or you might have a sense that you are meant to do something specific. However, you choose to follow your calling, the most important thing is to be open to God’s leading and to trust that He will guide you along the way.
If you’re not sure what you’re calling as it relates to building bridges, don’t be discouraged. Pray for guidance and ask God to reveal His plan for your life. Trust that He will lead you to where you need to be. And don’t forget, your calling doesn’t have to be grand or glamorous to be significant. Sometimes the most important calls are the ones that don’t make headlines but make a real difference in people’s lives. Whatever your calling may be, know that you are not alone. God is with you, and He will help you every step.