Calling: the journey continues

In my Christian existance, I have found the understanding of calling to be an ongoing developmental process. Let me explain.

In my first years of truly following after Christ I began to recognize a pull within myself to encourage other Christians. If you would have asked me in my two year understanding of the Christian journey, I would have said that God had given me a gift of encouragement.

A short time after that, God allowed me to be a leader in our college ministry. I was the one who would plan our weekly prayer, worship, and teaching time on Sunday nights. At this point I probably would have said that my calling was to teach and encourage.

Maybe four years after giving my life to Christ a scripture, Isaiah 61:1-4 began to stir me greatly and was involved in a very specific call on my life. The unveiling of that call came with a very dramatic week that supernaturally confirmed a call of God on my life. At this point I would have said God called me to preach.

Years later I was involved in pioneering a young adults ministry as an intern at a large interdenominational church. My understanding here was that God had put me in a place of peer leadership. I taught, cast vision, discipled people as God led.

After some other wilderness experiences, some school experiences, some other ministry experiences God began to deal with me and say you are getting older, your no longer a peer leader, I am calling you to Father. I wasn't sure I wanted to be old and a Father but I recieved this direction from the Lord.

I give all this background to remind myself of the process and to say that our calling in the Lord is ongoing. It is not an event and it is not stationary, it is always evolving. It is a growing understanding. It is an ongoing relationship. We can't define it by yesterday or tomorrow, but have to define it within the context of our relationship with Christ today.

Today I am reminded that our callings are always subject to change. We are not our own, but we are bought with a price. It is God's will that directs us today in whatever direction He deems beneficial to His glory and His kingdom.

Riding under the waves

I like blogging, but like my life right now I am riding under the waves. Most people unless really close can't see me, my life, and the realities of my journey with the Lord. I keep saying over the next horizon I will have time for this or that.

I think reality is: accept the reality I have. So I'll keep popping up for air from time to time.

I'm learning about calling these days. It will sound simple, but I'm learning when my friend is mad at me, I am still called to be a friend. When my wife is mad at me I am still called to husband her. When my kids are mad at me, I am still called to father them. When I am mad at me, I am still called to pastor others, father my kids, husband my wife, serve the body of Christ. I am not my own but I am bought with a price. Circumstances don't dictate our calling, being obedient to Christ does. I'm learning.