You may ask yourself if it is ever acceptable to decline a calling. Is it okay to ask to be released from a calling? These two questions are difficult to answer and truly depend on your personal circumstances. It may be that you are willing to serve, but the area that you are asked to serve in would not work with your schedule. It could be that you are truly overwhelmed by life in general and the new calling would send you over the edge.
When you are extended a calling for church, and you are not certain as to whether or not you should accept it, you should ask for some time to pray about it. You may want to explain the reasons you are reluctant to accept the calling. For example if you are about to have a new baby, you most likely would not want to serve in nursery, since the baby would be exposed to a large amount of germs. You may also be doing other activities that the bishop is not aware of. If you work from home, and your calling interferes with your work hours you may want to discuss this as well. Often the bishop is not aware of the extenuating circumstances, and he may decide not to call you at that time.
When you pray about whether or not to accept the calling you need to pray that you will do what the Lord wants you to do. There are callings that each of us dread receiving (these are likely different for everyone), but just because it might not be something you enjoy doing, it doesn’t mean that you should decline the calling. The Lord may want you to learn and stretch in some way. My calling to Enrichment committee helped me this way. It may be that the calling is simply too much for you to accomplish.
It is important to remember that once you accept a calling, it is important that you fulfill the calling to the best of your abilities. If you teach Primary, it is important to attend church every Sunday possible. The children rely on you. If you are in charge of the ward bulletin, people are depending on you to receive the announcements. Each calling is important.
If you are currently in a calling, but you find it overwhelming, you may want to talk to the bishop about your feelings as well. It could be that it is time for you to be released. If you are feeling so overwhelmed, that you are avoiding going to church, it is definitely time to call the bishop. Circumstances change, and you may find that you are too busy to fulfill certain callings at times. You may have adjustments to make at home, or you may be struggling with raising one or more of your children. If you talk to the bishop, you can decide together the best route to take.
Callings are a blessing that help each of us to grow in new ways. It is important that they do not become a burden that pulls you down, while you are trying to live the gospel. It is important to do your best, but you do not need to do every calling perfectly.
Related Articles:
Has a Calling Blessed You in an Unexpected Way?
General Conference: “O Be Wise”