I Am Sure......?

     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.