by Lesallan Bostron | March 3, 2026
As I Bow My Head in Prayer: What Is My Calling?
by Lesallan Bostron
March 3, 2026
As I Bow My Head in Prayer: What Is My Calling?
As I bow my head in prayer, I am often struck by how quiet the moment feels—and yet how full it is. Silence, I have learned, is not empty. It is crowded with questions, memories, hopes, and the steady hum of a heart searching for direction. In those moments, my prayer is rarely polished. It is honest. It is sometimes uncertain. And always, it circles back to the same question: What is my calling?
For much of my life, I believed a calling would arrive clearly labeled—something unmistakable, bold, and certain. I assumed it would announce itself with confidence, leaving no room for doubt. Over time, prayer has reshaped that expectation. Christian reflection often presents calling as something discerned gradually through attentiveness and faithfulness rather than received all at once (The Christian Thing, n.d.). I have come to understand that calling does not always shout. More often, it whispers.
When I pray, I bring both gratitude and restlessness with me. I am grateful for the life I have been given and for the lessons learned through both joy and hardship. At the same time, I feel restless because I sense that calling is not static. It grows and shifts as we do. Reflection within Christian thought emphasizes that discernment is an ongoing spiritual practice rather than a conclusion (The Christian Thing, n.d.). This understanding has given me freedom to grow, but it has also placed responsibility on me to listen carefully.
I have noticed that my prayers change depending on where I am in life. Sometimes I ask for clarity. Other times, I ask for courage. There are seasons when my sense of calling feels outward and service‑oriented centered on showing up for others, listening more than speaking, and offering kindness where it is least expected. In other seasons, my calling feels inward, urging me to slow down, to heal, and to become more honest with myself. Christian writing on prayer frequently highlights listening as a central practice for spiritual growth and discernment (The Christian Thing, n.d.).
Prayer has also taught me that calling is not always about doing more. Sometimes it is about being more present—faithful in small moments, willing to sit with discomfort, and open to change. Christian reflections on vocation often frame calling as alignment between belief, action, and conscience rather than public recognition or achievement (The Christian Thing, n.d.). This perspective has helped me focus less on outcomes and more on integrity.
I do not always leave prayer with clear answers. But I often leave with peace, or at least with a clearer next step. Christian reflections suggest that prayer shapes the person over time, cultivating patience, humility, and trust even when certainty remains elusive (The Christian Thing, n.d.). Perhaps calling is not meant to be fully revealed all at once. It unfolds as we walk, as we stumble, and as we continue returning to prayer.
As I bow my head in prayer, I am learning that my calling is not something I must chase relentlessly. It is something I must receive attentively. It lives in the space where faith meets action and where humility meets hope. Each time I pray, I am reminded that listening—truly listening—is not a pause in the journey. It is part of the answer.
References:
The Christian Thing. (n.d.). Reflections on Christian faith, prayer, and calling. https://thechristianthing.org
