On Life and Calling (pt.2)

So, the word "calling" is one of those North American Christian terms, I think... It's one of those words we throw around assuming everyone else uses the same thesaurus.

To clarify, for these posts, I am using the word "calling" to describe the overall thing(s) the Lord has planned for each of us to do in the advancement of His Kingdom. All of us are created with purpose. The purpose is clarified through the way the Lord has made us with gifts, abilities and desires. As we submit our lives to the Master Potter, He refines both us and our perception of that purpose, and presents us with opportunities to follow Him in His plan.

Now, "calling" doesn't simply refer to career choices, nor does it only refer to those called to full-time ministry; Rather, I think, it refers to what each of us do with life at every turn to obey the Scriptures and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and live out the Great Commission. Therefore, it is not just the Minister who has a calling - it is the child of God who has a calling. Some will be called to full-time service in the Church, but all will be called to full-time service in LIFE.

I think the key to discovering the abundant fulfillment that comes from pursuing your calling is realizing that your calling is not primarily about fulfilling YOU or perfecting your gifts. It is about humbly using your talents and vocational opportunities to serve, with a heart that is motivated to see lives turned to Christ. It is also about following the Lord when He leads you down paths that may be more difficult than personally satisfying.

Therefore, whether I am a grocer, a postal worker, a teacher, a nurse or a pastor, my career becomes a part of pursuing my calling - which is to seek the lost, love and serve people and spread the Truth of Christ.

On Life and Calling

Had a great breakfast date today with friends, Angela, Greg and Nicol. We got on to the topic of "calling".

For the last few years, Scott and I have been prayerful that the Lord will continually reveal to us what He's calling us to; That He'll be consistently clear what work He has for us to do in the advancement of His Kingdom. We have prayed that He will keep us ever mindful of His plan, and that He would help us to humbly follow Him wherever He will take us. Here are some things we have discovered:

- Sometimes the Lord calls by placing an undeniable compulsion within our hearts...a knowing and a need to pursue something.
- Sometimes God affirms this compulsion through other people who are prayerful, trustworthy and discerning.
- Sometimes God uses life circumstances to point in the direction He intends for us to go.
- Usually He is gracious to use a combination of these things...
- Sometimes the calling is not so clear.

- Sometimes His call is accompanied with an idea of what is to come.
- Sometimes God calls us to go without showing us the next step until much later.

- God seems to always prepare us for the next step before He reveals it to us.
- God creates us with the gifts, abilities and experiences designed to work at fulfilling His call.
- God's calling on our lives can NEVER be fulfilled with our gifts and abilities alone...We are to partner with His Spirit and His people, as He intertwines our lives and plans.

Pursuing a call of God is SO VERY different than pursuing a typical career. Decisions are not made based on worldly systems (likes/dislikes, comfort, status, climbed ladders, even living close to family). Decisions are made on knees, amidst tears and rumpled gilded pages, and they often fly in the face of convention. It is not without sacrifice. It is also not without immeasurable reward.

So...what is your God's call on your life. How have you discovered it? Are you willing to pursue it?

Expect the unexpected

I have found that, because I know that our great God is the same yesterday, today and forever, I often expect Him to act the same as He did last time. Then He reminds me that in His infinite wisdom and sovereignty, His responses will always blow me away.