The Joseph Calling (Broad Street Publishing, 2017)
Os Hillman, founder and president of Marketplace Leaders, titles his latest book The Joseph Calling: 6 Stages to Discover, Navigate, and Fulfill Your Purpose. First, Mr. Hillman notes that adversity functions as a key catalyst in how God moves people into their calling. Thus, more often than not, people God uses simply respond to a crisis event rather than initiating a vocation from their own heart. Therefore, through a Joseph calling, you become known by the adversity you’ve gone through in order to spiritually and physically provide for others. Most importantly, without a foundational understanding of your purpose, your adversity and suffering won’t be worth it.
However, the author notes, you must discover why God created you before you start trying to determine your purpose. And your underlying purpose should always be to do the will of the Father. As a result, your relationship with God enables you to derive your earthly assignments. So, when God calls you to walk down a specific path, He gives you – and only you – the grace for that assignment. Also, in addition to discovering your purpose, you need to discover your anointing. Os defines an anointing as when your gift functions easily and seems natural.
But, Mr. Hillman stresses, each of us must enter a valley – usually unwillingly. Consequently, in that valley we experience the God of the valley and find strength in His faithfulness. Furthermore, in the valley God brings us to the place where all we want is Christ. Also, the valley provides fertile ground for a harvest of wisdom and virtue. Through faithfulness in the valley, we enter a new dimension with God that we never though possible. God doesn’t waste any valley experiences. Hence, it’s important that we don’t attempt to extricate ourselves out of our valley time. For doing so results in leanness of the soul.
When we understand crises and how God uses them, we’re less prone to make ourselves victims. For example, the isolation stage reveals truth like nothing else can. In the process, isolation changes us and removes what hinders us, forcing us to draw deep upon God’s grace. And God’s performing a deeper work in us that cannot be seen. Through our own personal cross, we experience the depths of God. Plus, the fruit of this maturing process often results in successful problem-solving. Thus, this gives you authority in the area God wants you to operate. So when Satan throws bricks at you, tap into heaven. That allows God to solve the problem and build His kingdom.
In conclusion, Os exhorts you not to think up things to do for God. Rather, join Him in what He wants to do and is doing:
“Watch and wait for the trumpet call of God. When the signs appear, then step into it. Allow God to use you to be an instrument to manifest his presence into that specific situation.”
