Vocation and the Shepherd’s Voice

I find I have a tendency to think of vocation as a solo mission—something I’m supposed to figure out on my own. It’s all about discovering what I’m meant to do with my life and then charging ahead, no questions asked. Preferably with a sense of purpose, a detailed five-year plan, and maybe a podcast. But the more I think about it, the more I realize vocation isn’t just about me and my individual calling. It’s about how I fit into a much larger story, how my purpose connects with others, and how we’re all meant to move forward together—whether I find that deeply meaningful or mildly inconvenient on a given day.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Notice He doesn’t say, “My sheep each pursue their personal brand and unique life strategy.” They follow. Together. And the Shepherd knows them—not just as interchangeable units, but personally.

Really, this should shape how I think about calling: not just as what I do, but whom I’m following and with whom I’m doing it. Vocation isn’t a scavenger hunt where I crack the code of God’s will and impress everyone with my spiritual efficiency. It’s more like learning to walk in step with others, listening for the same voice, and trusting that it’s leading us someplace good and holy.

Thinking of it in this way changes things. If vocation is communal, then how I show up matters. Not just in the big, capital-V “vocation” sense, but in all the small choices that shape life with others: how I work, how I serve, how I forgive, how I let people into my plans (especially when they have different ones). It doesn’t mean I lose my individuality—it just means it’s not the main event. My life, my calling, makes the most sense in context, among other sheep, under the care of the same Shepherd.

So, when I start wondering whether I’m fulfilling my purpose, I try to shift the question. Not just, “Am I doing the right thing?” or “Is this right for me?” but, “How does my life serve the flock? Is it adding to the whole—or pulling away from it?”

I’m still learning to see vocation less as a personal endeavour and more as a shared direction. And thankfully, the Shepherd isn’t waiting for me to nail it. He’s already walking. My job is to listen, and to follow—because in the end, vocation has less to do with what I achieve, and more to do with whom I’m willing to walk behind—and walk alongside.

By Darcie Lich