AllisonDavisBlog... Connecting Real Faith to Real Life: The Reality of Our Calling

I love my YouVersion Bible app and use it every morning! This morning, I started a brand new daily reading plan by Christian author and blogger, Jen Hatmaker that really inspired me in the topic of "Our Calling". The daily reading plan takes small inserts from her book, "For the Love", and creates a 7-Day reading plan . Today's plan was titled, "On Calling and Haitian Moms" and it really made me contemplate and challenged my thinking in how we, as Americans, view "our calling".
I have three main thoughts that I'm challenging ourselves to consider:

Is every calling up-front, big, or earth-shattering?
Are we creating the expectation that everyone is a leader and therefore rarely is anyone willing to do the hard work needed to develop the leader?
Does God appoint specific people to be leaders?
Are we praying in faith for God to lead us to His appointed calling for us?

But before I digress on these, I'll very quickly summarize the devotional for you, but it is also linked here.

She writes that she receives a very popular question from people, which is "What is my calling? How do I know my calling?" She makes her case for believing that these questions are questions asked by the privileged people and cultures of this world, and compares this with a "poor single Christian mom in Haiti" - this woman doesn't even ask those questions. She doesn't have that luxury, but is still worthy of the work she has been called to in her every day life. Jen Hatmaker's short devotional really made me think in relation to His call on our lives. Because He does have a plan for us. He does have work for us to do. He does lead us to some specific people and work. And at the same time, He doesn't want us waiting around doing nothing...just waiting for this magical feeling or sign that would bring us to (insert heavenly, angelic music) - our calling! Because really our calling isn't supposed to be about us, right? I mean...right? It's so easy to get off track on this - desiring to serve God and His causes, but then getting caught up in wanting to feel satisfied and fulfilled in ourselves for doing the work or gaining notarization for the work.

As stated above, this devotional inspired a few thoughts:

As with the "Haitian mom" that Jen Hatmaker writes about, every one of our calling is not going to be up front, glamorous, or earth-shattering. The "Haitian mom" doesn't fret over finding herself, finding her passion, or finding her calling. She just goes to work with what is right in front of her. She shows worship and obedience to God in these every-day, necessary tasks. She can be fulfilled knowing the difference she is making for, not the world, but for her family - and this difference is important and full of significance! She doesn't expect a job that is brings her a big house and luxury, she doesn't even think that way. She is just day in, day out doing the work right in front of her and her family in order to survive. We can all learn from this
Another thought I have about this (doing the day in, day out work) is that I believe we are not ALL called to be leaders of a movement. Although we are all leaders in certain areas such as our home, with our kids, and definitely we are to lead ourselves well. But we are not all called to be some big time leader of an organization, or the starter of a culture-changing movement. I was at the zoo yesterday with my daughter and saw an elementary class on a field trip. These 10ish year old kids all had matching shirts that read, "Leaders in Training". While this is great, and, yes, true that we, in a way, are all leaders (again in our homes, we lead ourselves, etc), it makes me wonder if we are creating the expectation that we are all going to grow up to do something "big" and we forget that we all have to start somewhere, and that somewhere is the small and mundane tasks. We want to be content and willing to do the mundane tasks and do them well before we'll be given a shot at leadership. (I'm sure that is one of the main points that elementary school is teaching their students!) But I just wonder if we run around too much in discontentment wondering, "What's my calling???" when we haven't just dug in to the task in front of us that God's given us. Plus, leadership is not easy, nor is it always glamorous. It is not for the faint of heart and it's not for those who can't handle rejection. It's not about being up front and noticed. It's about being faithful to the work! So realistically, not everyone can handle being a leader, although God may develop any person He has chosen to become capable of this task! But isn't part of His development (in character and skill) routinely shown in His Word to start with "small" tasks, and that those who can be trusted with small, are given more (Luke 16:10)?

This really challenges me to ask myself some hard questions:
- What small, maybe not enjoyable to me, tasks has God given me in order to develop me?- Am I just wanting the perceived glamour of leadership, which leads to promoting myself? Or am I wanting to get on my hands and knees and be obedient to serving what God has given me right now to do? - Do I want to be big, or do I want to make God big to others and bring HIM glory?
To add on to this, I also DO believe God appoints specific people in their time and place to fulfill a specific job or calling for Him. I believe He has chosen certain people to be born and raised in the United States in order develop that person into what He needs in that land. Makes me think of Moses - how God chose to first have him raised in the Egyptian palaces where he could learn to read, write, and lead. God knew how Moses would be chosen to lead the Israelite's not only out of Egypt, but also in warfare. God knew that Moses would write the Ten Commandments. So He placed Moses in a specific time and location to develop him in these areas. There are so many other Bible stories that illustrate this.

My point is that for those of us, in America, or similar culture, who know God is calling us toward something - pray in FAITH for Him to lead you, and then walk in obedience in every area of your life. And keep believing! Keep having faith! Keep asking God to lead. God promises to lead us. He does not want to keep His will a secret from us. He will take us on a path that develops us for the skills and character we need to sustain His call - but that is all part of His leading, right? We may not "see" the calling immediately, but have faith that He is leading. And let's be obedient in the current work He's called us to, and not only that, but let's be obedient in the life issues He's convicting within each of us. How can He truly lead us or use us if we're not fully obeying Him in our thoughts, actions and deeds? Just doesn't make sense.

Here is one of my favorite verses I have and will continue to pray when I'm asking God to lead me.

Psalm 25:4-5

Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Application Questions:
- What work has God placed in front of you today that He is asking you to do?
- What are some verses you pray when asking for God to lead you?
- As you look back at your life, in what ways has God already developed you in character and skill?

Love & Blessings,
Allison