Embracing His Call

I’ve been struggling personally with what exactly is my call and purpose in this life and being at peace with it. It seems mine is quite different from most of my family and those around me and I have a hard time being OK with that. The whole “walk to the beat of a different drummer” type scenario.

Little by little, God has been revealing His purpose to me and helping me to embrace my calling. As I look back on my life, I see where it has been my call for a very long time, just in slightly different forms. Not long ago, I believe God gave me a name for my life’s purpose. My purpose on this earth is to pour into other people. This takes the form of telling them of Jesus Christ, showing love, helping them physically, being a listening ear, a companion and friend, a prayer warrior, and sharing from my heart through the written word.

Currently in my time with the Lord, I am parked in and absorbed with Ephesians. There is so much to take in and to try to understand. This morning as I was reading in Ephesians 2, verse 10 caught my attention:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

The cross reference in Ephesians 4:1-3 spoke to my questioning and struggling heart:

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

As a believer in Jesus Christ, I have been called to walk in a manner worthy of that calling. Not doing anything that would offend Christ, only seeking to do what would please Him according to His word. As I read those verses this morning, I had the distinct realization that it was also talking to my particular calling in life. I was created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Works that God had decided for me. A path that He had specifically prepared for me to walk - my personal calling. I am to walk the path of my calling with humility, gentleness, patience, and love. As I walk, I am to exhibit the fruits of His Spirit working in me to create unity and peace. Not comparing my call to someone else’s call, but wholeheartedly embracing my call and walking in it.

Sometimes our call may seem “forced” on us and we find ourselves “kicking against the goads”*. The urge or prodding is there, but we resist. The prodding doesn’t go away, it actually intensifies or we feel miserable because we are not being obedient to it. I know I have been kicking against the writing part of my call. I feel inadequate, fearful, or wonder what I have to say that hasn’t already been said, etc.

From reading other writers’ blog posts and articles, this is a common thought pattern among writers; however, by far the most repeated bits of advice are “just write” and “it hasn’t been said by you”. Even if we’re unsure or don’t think it’s good. Keep writing. So, I’m going to once again try to obey the prodding and this time not get stuck in the perfectionist/fear mode which tends to leave my writings in my notebook or on the computer instead of getting posted. Good, bad, or blah posts are going to go out. Supposedly the more I write the better it will get. Like exercise or sports, I guess. Practice makes perfect…or at least better and if it means I’m walking in a manner worthy of my calling, then that’s the goal. To walk in a way that is pleasing to Christ my Savior and Lord. Ephesians says that God has already prepared the way beforehand, so I don’t even have to cut my own way through the brush. He’s already done that. I just need to follow.

Where do you sense God’s call on your life? Are you walking obediently and confidently down the path that God has prepared for you or are you “kicking against the goads”? Are you embracing your call? I’d love to hear your purpose and how God is working that out in your life. Feel free to leave a comment!

TIP: God’s call will never lead you in a way that goes against His word.

(*If you are not familiar with the phrase about goads, follow this link for a good explanation: http://www.jesus.org/early-church-history/the-apostle-paul/how-did-paul-kick-against-the-goads.html)