Over the years I have struggled with trying to figure out what God has "called" me to do. When I first became a christian, I read every book I could that addressed finding your spiritual gifts and using them. I took a class or two and did spiritual gift tests, all with the expectation of walking away with a clear understanding of what it was God wanted me to do. What I found instead was that I was spending all of my time seeking and none of it doing. Feelings of inadequacy and doubt sometimes entered in as I sought to find my place. I knew what I had a desire to do, but then I would question, "Is this God's desire for me or just my own sense of purpose that I need to fill?" How confusing!!
Over time as I have matured in my walk, and have learned to seek God alone, I have learned that the "call" isn't the ministry or the service we do for others, but the command and the desire for our undivided attention to God. That may sound simplistic, but that knowledge has allowed me to exchange my feeling of inadequacy and doubt for confidence and a sense peace within me.
While reading my latest issue of Christian Counseling Today a magazine put out by the American Association of Christian Counselors, I came upon an article written by Diane Langberg a well known phycologist and author on the subject of Surviving Sexual Abuse. The article was titled, Sexual abuse and the Call To Ethical Character. One particular section really stood out to me. It was labled The Call and it said,
" What is the primary call of the Church today? Is it to evangelize, to hold to pure doctrine, to increase in numbers, to be big and successful, to help the sick and suffering of this world? When Jesus first called His disciples, to what did He call them--- a profession, a creed, a task? No, He first and foremost called them to Himself."
Powerful words, and I couldn't agree more. In Phillipians Paul says, " I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus".(3:14) God does not desire the goal to be degrees or money, or reputation, but love and obedience to Him. That is "The Call".
1 comment:
Kathy:
I once read an article in Christian Counselor magazine that said that one does not become more Christilike by doing things for Christ. One becomes more Christlike by being with Christ. It kind of says the same thing as the artcle you read, but I thought that was pretty profound. AW Tozer said in his book Whatever Became of Worship that one of the sins of the modern church (and he said this 40 years ago) was that we were too busy doing things "for" God to truly worship God. That we are occurpied with so much religious business that we have forgotten the central issue in our relationship with God -- to adore Him. I thought that was pretty good too.
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