The biggest thorn/sword in my side is answering the
question, “Are you sure?” If you struggle with this same uncertainty on
everything, I am not sure I can help you (quite the paradox isn’t it?). I am
willing to open up this topic a bit though, and share a few things I have
learned.
I was sitting at
Dunkin Donuts a few days ago doing homework and reading a book for class when a
friend joined me at the table I often occupy alone. She was reading her Bible
and we got to talking about our faith, what it looks like, and upon hearing I
planned to pursue vocational ministry she asked me, “So you’re definitely going
into the Ministry?” “Yes, I am,” I replied confidently. “How are you so sure
that is what you are suppose to do?” I am fairly certain that last question was
prefaced with a groan of anxiety and a rubbing of her face with her hands. This
groan was not out of disdain for my calling. Let me make sure I clarify that
before you think the friends I have are the worst of friends. Come to find out
she struggles with know for sure what she is called to do with her life.
After days of
scrutinizing this question, and pondering on if I really am called to ministry,
as well as questioning everything else in my life, I have found the peace to
once again say I am sure I am called to full time ministry. So to my friend
that asked, “Are you sure?” allow me to reply at length on how I know:
1)
There is literally nothing else I can do.
·
We talked about this a little in person and I
told you that I was advised by every pastor I know that if I could do anything
else to do it. I have tried being a
chemistry major, followed by engineering major, after calculus and chem II
wrecked my world I tried business only to have economics further the holocaust
on my GPA, twice.
·
God has
blessed me with a disproportionate amount of love for his Word, and to spread
that love with every one that I can. Several times I have laughed out loud in
humble amazement at what God revealed to me in His word. You would think after
being around for thousands of years the Bible would be exhausted and fully
understood, but it becomes a whole new animal to each person that studies it
and allows a living and active truth to infect their hearts.
2)
“I have a particular set of skills, skills that
make a man like me…”
·
So Liam Neeson doesn’t say it completely best,
but part of it applies. I recognize that God has blessed me with skills that
are conducive to the ministry. I Timothy 3 gives a list of requirements for an
overseer or what we call a pastor. That said, those are all things that other
pastors have looked at my life, and agreed that I am within the bounds of
scripture to pursue the office of pastor.
o
Hear me on this: I am far from perfect. I tend
to quarrel sometimes, have no household that I run so some things are left to
be seen, and I would still consider myself young in my faith. However I try to
lead a life of repentance on all sin. I pray constantly for conviction on
unseen sin in my life, and God has constantly answered that prayer, often times
with tough things that even now suck to have revealed. I remark on this because
I don’t always see a spirit of repentance in all Christians. I say that in all
humility knowing this tendency is not my own. Thank you, God, for growing this
in me. So though I am not perfect, God has assured me He can use me.
3)
So what about people that do not feel called to
ministry? How do we know what we are called to?
·
A wise friend once told me that your calling is
where one’s talent and desires meet. Think about this: If I am really good at
planting a garden but have no desire to ever put a shovel to the ground and
plant things then surely I am not called to that. Conversely, if I had the
burning desire to be an Olympic volleyball player (sad confession, I do) but am
not 6’9 and still coordinated (confession, I am not) then no matter how much I
want it I am still not called to that. Your calling is somewhere in between.
For me I have always been good at learning, reading, and investing into people’s
lives. What I have always longed to do (other than volleyball) is have a job
where I make lots of money and work somewhere impacts the world. You add those
and average them out you come up good ole’ Pastor Thig (maybe, hopefully!).
·
Pray, fast, and seek. Those are three things
that I suggest every Christian get use to. In the case of choosing a career or
finding your calling, these are a must.
o
Pray to God that He would reveal to you your
strengths that He alone has equipped you with, and that He wants to use to
build His Kingdom.*
o
Fasting is an overlooked aspect of the Christian
faith. Fasting makes one totally dependent on God for strength, and brings the
Christian to a place where they have no other source of energy besides God. I
challenge you: seek as many places in scripture as you can that talk about
fasting, as well as examples of God’s response to His people fasting. Then
consider whether fasting is something worth your while.
o
Seek the Lord in His Word. Dig into scripture,
and start rearranging all of your life to fit what the Bible calls God’s people
to. Treat it like your own personal mirror, and hold your life up in reflection
to scripture.
§ Infuse
all of this with trust. This is another struggle of mine. None of the above
matter if our hearts are not solely trusting in God. Think about this: if we do
not trust God’s sovereign plan for what we are “called” to what other voices
are we listening to? Our own? Our friends? I won’t get into how both of those are bad decisions (though maybe
I should). I will implore you to trust one Voice, and to trust in God.
*I put a little **** thing up there after Kingdom to speak
on a specific thing. Every single thing you are gifted with is from God. Your
gifted desires were given to you by God, and your gifted talent is given to you
by God. Therefore, your calling is to serve God and build up His Kingdom with
your desires and talents. Keep this in mind wherever you go and with whatever
you choose. You are “called” to love God, bring glory to God, and to edify
whatever local church you attend wherever you wind up. The local body of
believers is the responsibility of the pastor, and the body itself. You in
particular are gifted with lots of ministry blessing talents and I beg of you
one thing; serve your God, pour into His people, and bless the church as God
has blessed you.
