Sitting in church at the age of 16, the minister was speaking as he always did, but all I could think was, “When is this going to be over? I’m hungry.” Whatever the minister was saying went in one ear and out the other. It always did.

My parents and everyone else talked about God’s calling. Perhaps in the future my eyes would suddenly be opened and I would find the minister’s words and the Bible absolutely fascinating. Impossible, I thought. But at the same time, I was worried. What’s wrong with me? Would God ever “call” me? Or would I keep going to church week after week, not really hearing, just enduring.

I grew resentful. Those older gentlemen stood up there and talked about the same stuff they always talked about. They came from a different generation. Maybe they had this massive revelation where they realized the Sabbath was really on Saturday, but I didn’t. I had always known.

Flash forward to when I was 17 at summer camp. My dorm was sitting with an older minister and his wife. I was bold enough to raise my hand. “The sermons are boring,” I challenged. “It’s the same thing week after week. How are we supposed to be called or find any interest in God’s Word?” “Well,” the minister replied thoughtfully, “This is true. We are older and don’t identify with the youth as much as we wish we did. But,” he said looking directly at me, “it’s not just the minister’s responsibility to be a good teacher. You have to want to learn. You have to also seek it out.” And then he quoted this verse that I had heard 100 times before: “Seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9).

It was at that moment I realized I hadn’t even tried. I had just expected God and the ministers to do all the work. If only they were more interesting. If only church were set up differently. But that’s not how God works. Why should He give you His greatest gift if you don’t even want it?

And so my answer to the question “When is God going to call me?” is: Many people won’t have a “moment.” You may not metaphorically be hit by lightning and have some massive revelation. You have to seek it out. You have the very words of the God of the universe on your desk right now, unlike most everyone else in human history. Are you going to actually seek out God and see what He has to say?

First, you need to ask Him for His help.

James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” But how do you draw near to God?

Pray, and tell God that you want to be called, and ask Him to open up your heart.

Let’s continue reading after the “seek and you will find” scripture quoted earlier. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened . . . how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:10, 13). Jesus Christ’s own words show us that if you open up your heart by yielding to God, then He will hear you and answer.

Second, after you have asked for God’s help, you must then read His Word.

Actually read the Bible for yourself. A relationship with God is a two-way street. You communicate to Him through prayer, and He answers and responds through His Scriptures. But you have to read them. Maybe you have tried to read them before and failed. But if you ask for God’s help it will be as though a blindfold has fallen off your eyes.

Again, you have to ask.

So in answer to the question “When is God going to call me?” first, ask yourself: “When are you going to seek out God?”