The Bible is full of stories of men and women who were called by God to do difficult and even impossible things and found God to be sufficient.
The patriarch Joseph was called. But his calling didn’t mean an easy life. He was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. He was falsely accused by the wife of his Egyptian master. He was thrown into jail and languished there for years.
But if Joseph were here today, he would repeat the testimony he gave his brothers in Genesis 50:20: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” God empowered Joseph to fulfill his calling, which ultimately was to save his family from death.
If John Mark were here, he would tell you about God’s sufficiency to fulfill his calling. John Mark went out with Paul as an associate in the ministry, but he quit and went home when the going got tough.
Paul said, “I can’t use John Mark anymore. He might go left on me.” But Barnabas stepped in and gave John Mark another chance to do God’s work (Acts 15:36–40). And even though John Mark had messed up, he found grace from the Lord and became a valuable worker, even to Paul (2 Timothy 4:11).
The apostle Peter was called, but he denied the Lord three times. He had to get “recalled” three times into God’s service (John 21:15–17), and that time he didn’t fail.
A person who is serious about fulfilling the reason why they have been placed on earth will learn to view all of life through the grid of God’s intentions. That worldview will then impact their decisions. Even if you have made mistakes in the past, God can still use you right where you are. It is never too late for God to lead you to your calling.