The Call
Yay, another guest post! Since I'm frequently talking about my nail polish obsession, what it means to be a Christian female, or my legal studies, I asked my one friend who has/ is/ does none of these things to share from his perspective. And he agreed!
Alex F. is a long-time friend of mine and supporter of the blog. In fact, you've unknowingly read a lot of his ideas before because I often plagiarize from him (though, mostly with permission). My favorite Alex-inspired post came from a comment he made about childhood when we were watching our PK running around the church with reckless abandon. More recently, he was "the friend" in this post about goals.
At this point, I would provide a link to his blog, if he had one, so you all could benefit from his wisdom and wit. But until he starts a blog of his own, he has an open invitation to guest-post here on TSN. I might even start a new tag for his posts.
The Call. Have you ever received it? That little miraculous moment when apparently God reaches down from heaven, extends his finger, and taps you right on the head and you know just what you are supposed to do with your life. Recently I've been thinking about this concept and trying to piece together what God's "call" for my life is.
Then I did something dangerous. I actually took a look at my life. And as much as I know that the "T" in TULIP stands for Total Depravity, it always surprises me just how deep my sin goes. Through some Godly direction from some close friends I realized that I already was pursing a calling of my own making. I apparently had my own idea of what my purpose in life was and pursued it with an, ironically, religious fervor. Being single, I assumed my highest calling in life was to get married. I honestly believed that God really was not using me to my full potential by keeping me single and sought to rectify His oversight. Certainly He would be pleased with my ingenuity. True to form, I underestimated God.
So now I write this, still in the process of breaking down marriage as an idol in my life. But worship abhors a vacuum. If I truly wanted to cast down any idols in my life, I had to replace my "highest calling" with God. So again the question is, what is God's highest calling for me? And through the example and advice of Godly friends and through reading through the gospels I found God's calling. It is a pursuit of Him and a reliance on Him. God's purpose for my life is His sanctification of my life. The gradual removal of sin and reorientation toward Christ-likeness. If that is God's purpose, then there is no higher calling for my life than that. So now I resolve (and re-resolve, and re-re-resolve) to pursue that purpose. To pursue, love, and enjoy God in and with my mind, my heart, my strength, and my life.
For me, at this point in my life, I turned to marriage as an idol. But now, at my job, I can see the same temptation to turn toward work or the pursuit of money or a career as my highest calling. I could devote all my time and energy to work harder and do better and look to these things for my peace, and hope, and joy. But that would be walking into the same trap, that by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit I now see clearly. Marriage and a career both do take hard work and striving, but they must be pursued in a Godly way. They can't be central. They can't be ends unto themselves. They are means by which God fulfills His plan to sanctify us and sanctify and save those around us.
Now I have contentment in God's plan for me, whether it includes marriage or not. God's plan for me is my sanctification and to accept me into His kingdom when His work for me here is done. And I can think of no higher, no better calling than that. So I am satisfied that God will complete that work that He set out to do. I can be thankful that where I am now, even in my singleness (which is crazy to think, right?), is where God has chosen to best sanctify me. I think for the first time I understand Paul's words when he urges the Corinthians to "remain as you are." So praise God for that; at the very least, I understand His word better.
So what now? What of you? Is there a calling you pursue wholeheartedly? Are you thankful for where you are now? Thankful that you are there by the grace of God, for the work He has for you, in particular, to do? Just remember there is no greater calling in life than to pursue the One who called us to life.
Alex F. is a long-time friend of mine and supporter of the blog. In fact, you've unknowingly read a lot of his ideas before because I often plagiarize from him (though, mostly with permission). My favorite Alex-inspired post came from a comment he made about childhood when we were watching our PK running around the church with reckless abandon. More recently, he was "the friend" in this post about goals.
At this point, I would provide a link to his blog, if he had one, so you all could benefit from his wisdom and wit. But until he starts a blog of his own, he has an open invitation to guest-post here on TSN. I might even start a new tag for his posts.
The Call
The Call. Have you ever received it? That little miraculous moment when apparently God reaches down from heaven, extends his finger, and taps you right on the head and you know just what you are supposed to do with your life. Recently I've been thinking about this concept and trying to piece together what God's "call" for my life is.
Then I did something dangerous. I actually took a look at my life. And as much as I know that the "T" in TULIP stands for Total Depravity, it always surprises me just how deep my sin goes. Through some Godly direction from some close friends I realized that I already was pursing a calling of my own making. I apparently had my own idea of what my purpose in life was and pursued it with an, ironically, religious fervor. Being single, I assumed my highest calling in life was to get married. I honestly believed that God really was not using me to my full potential by keeping me single and sought to rectify His oversight. Certainly He would be pleased with my ingenuity. True to form, I underestimated God.
So now I write this, still in the process of breaking down marriage as an idol in my life. But worship abhors a vacuum. If I truly wanted to cast down any idols in my life, I had to replace my "highest calling" with God. So again the question is, what is God's highest calling for me? And through the example and advice of Godly friends and through reading through the gospels I found God's calling. It is a pursuit of Him and a reliance on Him. God's purpose for my life is His sanctification of my life. The gradual removal of sin and reorientation toward Christ-likeness. If that is God's purpose, then there is no higher calling for my life than that. So now I resolve (and re-resolve, and re-re-resolve) to pursue that purpose. To pursue, love, and enjoy God in and with my mind, my heart, my strength, and my life.
For me, at this point in my life, I turned to marriage as an idol. But now, at my job, I can see the same temptation to turn toward work or the pursuit of money or a career as my highest calling. I could devote all my time and energy to work harder and do better and look to these things for my peace, and hope, and joy. But that would be walking into the same trap, that by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit I now see clearly. Marriage and a career both do take hard work and striving, but they must be pursued in a Godly way. They can't be central. They can't be ends unto themselves. They are means by which God fulfills His plan to sanctify us and sanctify and save those around us.
Now I have contentment in God's plan for me, whether it includes marriage or not. God's plan for me is my sanctification and to accept me into His kingdom when His work for me here is done. And I can think of no higher, no better calling than that. So I am satisfied that God will complete that work that He set out to do. I can be thankful that where I am now, even in my singleness (which is crazy to think, right?), is where God has chosen to best sanctify me. I think for the first time I understand Paul's words when he urges the Corinthians to "remain as you are." So praise God for that; at the very least, I understand His word better.
So what now? What of you? Is there a calling you pursue wholeheartedly? Are you thankful for where you are now? Thankful that you are there by the grace of God, for the work He has for you, in particular, to do? Just remember there is no greater calling in life than to pursue the One who called us to life.
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