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What has God called you to?

By Tracey Gardone (Www.Traceygardone.Com) 4 min read
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There are typically two extremes that Christians unduly imagine when we pontificate over what has God called us to. One of them is we fearfully contemplate that if we say, “Here I am Lord,” that God will send us to some horror show half-way around the world and we’ll live lives of abject poverty shackled to a depressing human landscape and a future bereft of our family and friends.

The other vain imagination is where we picture ourselves awash in swashbuckling spiritual adventure fearlessly casting out demons and summoning miracles upon miracles while we alone have greater communal time with God because of our anointing. No doubt, all of us would feel tremendous hesitation about traveling to any distant land with trials and hardships waiting to engulf and overwhelm us.

With that, most would embrace a life that held itself out as one with unparalleled success in overcoming any challenge with admirable resolve, signs and wonders.

The truth about both of these made up bookends of life is that practically no one is living either, at least not compared to the reality of the Christian population in the sense of a calling. Being sent or called to what, or where, and for how long has been a mainstay of Evangelicism forever, especially among our youth.

The push to “go and do something” stems from the reluctant prophet teaching and consequences of Jonah (read the book of Jonah) and the “Here I am, send me” prophet, Isaiah, (Isaiah 6:8) or the encouraging “fishers of men” thinking and the admonition of, “go and make disciples of all men” from Jesus in Matthew 28:19.

Further momentum of this mindset is gathered around the Apostle Paul’s missionary travels, and the encouragement to “look at the men who changed the world” when examinations are done of the early church and Apostles like Peter.

Additional pressure mounts from some segments of church leadership to “win the world for Christ.”

While I confess that these truths and sentiments have a rightful place in the church, the fact is that almost all of us are not “called” and will not be “called or sent” to another country. And most of us will not be used like the Apostle Paul or Moses was.

So where does that leave your calling?

These are the two excessive sacrifice or success models. We must overcome them by responding to both scenario extremes, while balancing the certainty that in following God there will be both sacrifice and success.

Looking at the Bible and history, nearly all Christians have been called to live the life you have, where you are at, and to the people you come into contact with, in the life you have, that you are living. That was meant to sound circular.

Almost none of us are called to have vows of poverty and become monks in a monastery type of setting, or to become the next Charles Finney or Billy Graham.

Just about all of us are “called” to live the lives we have as decent, God-fearing people. If you decide to pray, “God: What is it you want me to do?” Let me inform you right now of two things: Your calling is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” ‘Matt 12:30-31 NIV. If you can’t fulfill these 2 simple callings, what else is there? You’re Mission and Missionary work in life is to live the best life for God and others, no matter where it is or what you’re doing.

Be reminded that our reward in Heaven and with God is not in achievement or success as measured by man or church tradition, but our reward is based on our faithfulness to God.

Live the life you have for God and when it is over, you shall hear this: “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21A – KJV)

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