Called to greatness... at an inconvenient time.
Have you ever been called by God to do something at in inconvenient time? I have... and I think it's time I admit a few things to you...
It's been laid on my heart lately to help others, in any way possible. The problem with that is, I make excuses to not answer these calls from God. Maybe one of my furry friends needs to go to the vet that Saturday and that means I am going to miss volunteering, or maybe I have a ton of housework to do at home, or maybe I just want to veg out and binge watch a favorite on netflix... do you feel me?
Can I just, for one minute, be completely transparent with you? When God calls me to do things, at an inconvenient time, sometimes I get annoyed and completely miss that God is calling me to do His work. In life, its easy to miss your calling when it means... stopping your work to pray for someone, or helping a friend out, after work, when you've already showered, put on your pj's, and just sat down to eat dinner. Or maybe it's even doing something for someone who needs extra encouragement, even if you're exhausted and your house is a mess.
I'm not afraid to admit that life is so easy to become selfish, but God calls us to be SELFLESS. He didn't make us to rule the world, he made us so we could serve the world.
Recently I've had two situations that I, not so politely, whined about when I was called. And God has been convicting me ever since. So I wanted to offer some points to help anyone else who feels they are struggling in a similar situation...
1. Realize you are being called - It's easy to miss this all together if you aren't paying attention. God will call you morning or night. He does not work on our timeline, he works on His. We are free to do as we please, but as believers, we need to be willing to clear our schedule when God calls us.
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. " - Galations 5:13
2. Don't hesitate when you are called - Get Moving!
"Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men. At once, they left their nets and followed him." - Matthew 4:19
Did you catch that? Jesus said, "hey guys, lets go do some good work" and AT ONCE... not after they finished fishing, or once they caught their quota... right then, at that moment, they dropped what they were doing and went. There should be no hesitation when God call us, we should go at once!
3. Answer your calling with a humble and loving heart - We can't do God's work if we have a bad attitude dripping from our bodies. We need to not only go when he calls, but do it with a servant's attitude. We should be thrilled God is using us to help fellow believers or non-believers. We need to be ready to show anyone and everyone how God can use ordinary people in extraordinary ways.
"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. " - Ephesians 4:1
4. Thank God for using you as a vessel to bring others to Christ - I feel this is one that can be easily missed. Once God uses us, we need to remember to thank Him for using us to share His goodness and grace. God will remember all the times you answered His calling and those times you refused. After you thank Him, take time to reflect on the situation and what He may want you to learn from it to help you grow richer in your faith.
"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. " - Hebrews 6:10
The truth is God can call us anytime, anywhere, and in many ways. And while He may call some of us to other countries, he calls many of us right where we are. Don't let this world weigh you down and make you miss a call God has laid out for you. Let me encourage you today to live positively, love unconditionally, and be ready to answer the call God has for you.
It's been laid on my heart lately to help others, in any way possible. The problem with that is, I make excuses to not answer these calls from God. Maybe one of my furry friends needs to go to the vet that Saturday and that means I am going to miss volunteering, or maybe I have a ton of housework to do at home, or maybe I just want to veg out and binge watch a favorite on netflix... do you feel me?
Can I just, for one minute, be completely transparent with you? When God calls me to do things, at an inconvenient time, sometimes I get annoyed and completely miss that God is calling me to do His work. In life, its easy to miss your calling when it means... stopping your work to pray for someone, or helping a friend out, after work, when you've already showered, put on your pj's, and just sat down to eat dinner. Or maybe it's even doing something for someone who needs extra encouragement, even if you're exhausted and your house is a mess.
I'm not afraid to admit that life is so easy to become selfish, but God calls us to be SELFLESS. He didn't make us to rule the world, he made us so we could serve the world.
Recently I've had two situations that I, not so politely, whined about when I was called. And God has been convicting me ever since. So I wanted to offer some points to help anyone else who feels they are struggling in a similar situation...
1. Realize you are being called - It's easy to miss this all together if you aren't paying attention. God will call you morning or night. He does not work on our timeline, he works on His. We are free to do as we please, but as believers, we need to be willing to clear our schedule when God calls us.
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. " - Galations 5:13
2. Don't hesitate when you are called - Get Moving!
"Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men. At once, they left their nets and followed him." - Matthew 4:19
Did you catch that? Jesus said, "hey guys, lets go do some good work" and AT ONCE... not after they finished fishing, or once they caught their quota... right then, at that moment, they dropped what they were doing and went. There should be no hesitation when God call us, we should go at once!
3. Answer your calling with a humble and loving heart - We can't do God's work if we have a bad attitude dripping from our bodies. We need to not only go when he calls, but do it with a servant's attitude. We should be thrilled God is using us to help fellow believers or non-believers. We need to be ready to show anyone and everyone how God can use ordinary people in extraordinary ways.
"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. " - Ephesians 4:1
4. Thank God for using you as a vessel to bring others to Christ - I feel this is one that can be easily missed. Once God uses us, we need to remember to thank Him for using us to share His goodness and grace. God will remember all the times you answered His calling and those times you refused. After you thank Him, take time to reflect on the situation and what He may want you to learn from it to help you grow richer in your faith.
"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. " - Hebrews 6:10
The truth is God can call us anytime, anywhere, and in many ways. And while He may call some of us to other countries, he calls many of us right where we are. Don't let this world weigh you down and make you miss a call God has laid out for you. Let me encourage you today to live positively, love unconditionally, and be ready to answer the call God has for you.