Discouraged, confused, or feeling derailed about your life calling? You might be in a life-calling valley! Learn what it is, why you’re in it, and how to navigate it.

In 2006, God fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine of going into vocational ministry. I resigned as chair of a college chemistry department, and I became one of the pastors at my church. I coached and multiplied leaders for God’s Kingdom, trained teachers and wrote curriculum for our adult disciple-making curriculum, and led a thrice-yearly retreat where God transformed many lives. I also enrolled in seminary, and I’ve always loved school, so I had to pinch myself every day because I was all-out livin’ the dream!

Then in 2011, an unexplained health crisis took away a lot of the physical stamina necessary to do my job. Three years later, my condition was even worse. I was like, “God, what are you doing?!”

But by 2013, I realized that God had begun to nudge me away from the church staff position two years BEFORE my health crisis. So I hired a Christian life coach to help me figure some stuff out. That led to what I do now: help people find and fulfill their divine calling, through phone-coaching, workshop-leading, and blog-writing.

I love what I do now, more than anything I’ve ever done. Coaching people about finding their divine calling is great! But I miss the bigger influence and visibility that I used to have. It’s partially a pride thing. So God is using this life-calling valley season to strengthen my character, and to separate my identity from my ministry role.

What a tremendous relief it was when I found Tony Stoltzfus’ book, The Calling Journey (click here to find the book). Tony discovered that almost every Christian goes through a predictable sequence of identifiable peaks and valleys, named The Calling Journey. I am currently in the third valley (the Valley of Identity), before the last peak (the Fulfillment Stage).

You are currently either in a peak or a valley with respect to your calling journey. And both are NORMAL!

Are you in a life-calling peak, or are you in a life-calling valley?

You are in a life-calling peak if:

• You feel you are moving toward God’s call on your life, even if you don’t yet know what your call is.
• You are succeeding at doing things that you enjoy doing.
• You are joyfully expressing the real you on a day-to-day basis. You’re in the zone!

You are in a life-calling valley if:

• You feel like your life call is getting further away.
• What you do most of the day doesn’t match your passions or abilities.
• You are losing position, opportunity, or influence.
• Or you might be facing a major crisis in marriage, career, habitual sin, etc., that hinders developing your life-call.

What does God do in a life-calling peak or valley?

What God does in your life-calling peaks:

• God grows your knowledge, skills, spiritual gifts, and experiences, in whatever you are doing.
• You may or may not continue to do the same thing in the future. But God is developing your ability to succeed at whatever you will do.

What God does in your life-calling valleys:

• God builds your character.
• God shapes your identity – who you are and who you’re not.
• God wants you to overcome any sin that might derail your calling.

How can you stay encouraged and on-purpose in a life-calling peak or a valley?

How to navigate a life-calling peak:

• Take maximum advantage of all opportunities to increase your skills and experiences.
• Celebrate the favor that God is giving you!

How to navigate a life-calling valley:

• Be encouraged! Almost all Christians go through three predictable valleys in their life-calling journey. And they also experience four predictable peaks!
• It is normal for your productivity to be low during a valley, or even to feel like you’re going backwards. But you are NOT off-track with your call! God is curtailing your productivity so that you’ll focus on internal renovation.
• Don’t try to get out of your calling valley. Instead, cooperate with God’s desire to build your character and identity.
• Build your relationship with Jesus. Read your Bible. Talk honestly to Jesus, and listen to Him.
• Intentionally do things and be with people that recharge your batteries.
• Life-calling valleys are energy-depleting. So take care of yourself physically, through healthy eating and exercise.

Are you in a life-calling peak or a life-calling valley? What steps will you take to lean into what God is doing in your life-calling peak or valley?

Feel free to comment or ask questions below.