If You’ve Ever Been Told to “Just Pick One Calling”… Read This.
A Kingdom Perspective for Multi-Passionate Servant Leaders
Let me start with a confession:
I’ve never had a five-year plan that stuck.
Not one.
Not even close.
There was a time I thought that was a spiritual flaw—that somehow, I was failing to “discern my one true calling.” I looked around at others who seemed laser-focused in their careers or ministries and wondered what was wrong with me.
Was I being disobedient? Distracted? Uncommitted?
Maybe I was just meant to be a ‘Jack of all trades’ as the saying goes. But did that mean I was failing as a master of one?
Then one day I realized something freeing:
Maybe I wasn’t confused. Maybe I was being prepared.
I wasn’t chasing after everything. I was being shaped by everything.
What If Your Multipurpose Path Is the Master’s Plan?
We’ve been fed the message that if you’re serious about your calling, you’ll pick one path, stick with it, and specialize.
But here’s a question worth asking:
What if God didn’t design you to walk a straight line—but to live a layered life?
Look through scripture and you’ll notice something interesting:
David was a shepherd, a warrior, a poet, and a king.
Paul was a tentmaker and theologian.
Lydia was a businesswoman and house church host.
Jesus Himself was a carpenter, teacher, healer, and ultimately, the sacrificial Savior.
None of these faithful followers “picked a lane.”
They followed God wherever He led—and used whatever was in their hands.
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.”
– 1 Corinthians 12:4
You Don’t Have to Pick Just One Lane
In today’s world, the pressure to “niche down” is intense. Especially if you’re a leader trying to find clarity and credibility. You’ve probably been told to choose: Are you a speaker or a pastor? A strategist or a spiritual mentor? A builder or a visionary?
But servant leadership doesn’t fit in a box.
Jesus didn’t tell us to streamline our gifts. He told us to multiply them (see Matthew 25:14–30). When God entrusts you with abilities, experiences, and passions, He expects you to steward all of them—not bury the ones that don’t fit a tidy title.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…”
– Colossians 3:23
Every Role Was Training for This One
If your path feels winding, here’s something I hope you hold onto:
God doesn’t waste anything.
Some of my most meaningful insights didn’t come from leadership conferences or church boards—they came from life’s unexpected chapters:
My ministry chapter taught me how to pray boldly and serve with humility.
My corporate chapter taught me how to build systems and communicate clearly.
My family chapter taught me patience, empathy, and the sacredness of small moments.
My coaching chapter reminded me that everyone’s journey is messy—but no less miraculous.
Each one has helped me serve more wisely, more fully, and more like Jesus.
There Are No Rules (Just Obedience)
I used to think there was a “right way” to build a leadership life. Follow the formula, climb the ladder, stay in your lane.
Then I realized something simple and profound:
There are no rules in the Kingdom—only obedience.
You don’t need to fit a worldly blueprint. You don’t need permission from gatekeepers. What you do need is to listen to the still, small voice that says, “This is the way, walk in it.”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
– Proverbs 3:5–6
You Can Be and Do More Than One Thing in Christ
You are not a single-use servant. You are a living, breathing image-bearer of a creative God.
That means:
You can be strategic and intuitive.
You can teach and write and build and lead.
You can love spreadsheets and spiritual conversations.
The best entrepreneurs, leaders, and disciple-makers I know are multi-dimensional. They don’t choose between their gifts—they layer them in service to something greater than themselves.
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”
– Ecclesiastes 9:10
So Here’s the Takeaway
If you’ve ever felt pressure to narrow down, to pick one thing, to find your “one true calling”…
What if the real Kingdom invitation is to embrace the opposite?
Instead of asking:
“What’s my ONE thing?”
Try asking:
“How do all these pieces work together for God's purpose in me?”
Because the real power of your calling might not be in one title—but in the totality of who God made you to be.
5 Ways to Embrace Your Multi-Passionate Calling (Faithfully)
1. Treat Your Gifts as Kingdom Clues
Each idea, curiosity, or opportunity is a breadcrumb from God. Track them. Pray over them. See which ones keep coming back. They aren’t distractions—they’re divine hints.
2. Find Your Faith Thread
What ties your journey together? Is it building up others? Preaching hope? Creating peace? That thread is your compass.
3. Stop Waiting for Perfect Clarity
Moses didn’t get the whole map. He got one instruction at a time. You’re not disqualified if the next step feels uncertain. You’re walking by faith, not sight.
4. Think in Seasons, Not Lifetimes
You’re not committing to a label forever. Maybe this season is about learning, next season about launching. Let each one shape your soul and sharpen your service.
5. Ask: What Lights Me Up Right Now?
Not “what looks good on LinkedIn.” Not “what will impress my pastor.” But what is God stirring in my heart today? Follow that. Obedience starts there.
Final Encouragement
You don’t have to find your “thing” once and for all.
You just have to keep following what aligns with Christ.
The clarity will come. The confidence will grow. The impact will multiply.
Your journey doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else.
It just has to make sense to Him—and to you.
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”
– Zechariah 4:10
About the Author - Coach Larry
Author of ‘The Ultimate Handbook Series’ available on Amazon and host of Servant Leaders Blueprint podcast - Helping emerging leaders think right, plan efficiently, and lead with lasting impact! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and IHeart Radio.
Check out the Servant Leaders Growth Hub online community–a community for emerging leaders, new managers and aspiring entrepreneurs to collaborate and accelerate how to think clearly, plan efficiently, and lead effectively for greater impact and lasting success.