The safest place to be is at the center of God’s calling, no matter how difficult or dangerous.

The most dangerous place to be? Anywhere else.

When God calls a man to a vocation, God is not primarily concerned with the things the man himself was concerned about before receiving that call. God is concerned with what tends to concern God: his kingdom dawning on earth, and looking like it looks in heaven.

When God called the prophets, he didn’t check their preferences first. He knew their preferences—comfort, safety, and security.

And when God calls you, he won’t check your preferences first.

Yes, God cares about our desires, because we’re his children. Yes, God cares about our inborn interests, because he himself formed us in our mothers’ wombs. God doesn’t want his servants offering grudging obedience to some distant authoritarian voice in the sky.

But this American version of Christian calling where God owes us our dream job, the perfect mode for our self-actualization, and a pain-free path to our utopian dreams? That calling doesn’t exist, because that’s not how God works.

It’s great to love your job, and it’s great to look for a job you love. But if “it’s more blessed to give than receive” (Acts 20:35), then giving yourself away for others actually leads to the best of blessings.

So make sure you don’t miss God’s calling because you can’t imagine it would be uncomfortable. Make sure you don’t drown out his voice with your list of must-have’s. Make sure you don’t ignore him when he’s sending you to difficult people (Jonah) or unknown places (Abraham) or guaranteed sacrifices (Jesus). Make sure you look for true happiness and true security and true fulfillment—following God by faith, wherever his calling leads.

Because your ultimate must-have is him. And like God always told the prophets, if he’s called you, he will be with you.