“Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”
Act 13:1-3, ESV
I suppose a person could immediately, upon reading this, ask the question “How would they know what that work was? These questions are usually answered when we go back to the beginning of the story.
“But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he (Paul) is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
Act 9:15-16, ESV
At the moment of His conversion, he had a specific call on his life. Even though there was a period of time between the encounter and his release, which was a time for him to become ready, he knew what that calling was, and he was ready to be released to the next step.
Each one of us, upon our conversion, in which we have our personal encounter with Jesus Christ, should be made aware of our calling and purpose. If you aren’t sure, I would encourage you to think back to that time, and perhaps begin to pursue that for which you have been called.
“Not that I (Paul) have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14, ESV