Many times I doubt if God has hearkened me to go into ministry and to be unto the lost and His flock a minister, because I know myself well. Yet since I was a young Christian, I have had this gnawing feeling inside me that I was called to work in ministry.
You see, I do not possess the hardiness that a ministry shall demand, for I am weak with the comforts of this world. And there are yet so many financial obligations that need be fulfilled and repaid, else litigation come upon me.
In other words, though I would like to truly explore this calling that I felt, I find myself shackled and fearful of stepping up to the plate. Let’s put it this way — I feel I haven’t been good with the small things, so how shall God trust me with the bigger things?
There are also the pertinent questions that come with experiencing such a calling that many of us come to ask.
Am I qualified? Who am I that I figure in God’s plan? How did it come to be that I be worthy of this calling, for I am nothing? I’ll be honest to say that I don’t have a healthy self-esteem when it comes to doing God’s work.
Yet when I read the account of how Moses was called of God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, I came to the realization that God chooses whom He shall to do His work.
God knows what sort of person we become if we were given a charge to do His work, and by our weakness He shall strengthen us and give us our help.
But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.†Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.†But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.†Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do.
Exodus 4:10-15
Moses was unconvinced and kept pushing the calling away, even asking God to send someone else more suitable in his stead. And what happened? God became angry!
What Moses told God is one of but many excuses we give when we feel a calling to do God’s work — Oh Lord, I am not eloquent, nor am I smart, nor am I gifted of this or that.
Read what God said unto Moses: He shall teach Moses what to say, and send him help in the form of Aaron who shall do what Moses said to do!
You see, when God calls you out to do His work, you shall not be without help from the Most High. You are limited only by what limitations you think you have, but in God everything is possible.
Sometimes you don’t even need to have the pre-requisites for the job, but God chose you because He sees and knows all there is to you and finds you suitable!
Yet as humans we have the tendency to not believe that God can do wonders in us and through us, and keep pushing away the calling as I have been.
If you have felt in your heart a calling from God to do His great work, stop giving excuses and stop doubting. If God had indeed called you to do His work, He shall provide you the gifts by which you will require to complete the work.
Lord, today I pray you show me and my brothers and sisters here that indeed you have called us to do your work which we have felt heavy in our hearts. Yet many of us have not the courage to leave the comforts of the world, nor have we put down the burdens of this world and trust in you in complete surrender.
For in ourselves nothing is possible, yet in You we find strength and all is made possible in your holy name.
In Christ Jesus, Amen.
Shalom Aleichem.
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We’re all called to do the Lord’s work. The Great Commission is not for the few that are chosen to be shepherds (pastors), but for all Christians.
We are all given different gifts which we are to use to God’s glory and to be the body of Christ. Going into the “ministry” working on the mission field or as the pastor of a church is not a higher calling than the person who is called to minister in his desk job. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
Many people think that if they truly love God the only way to show it is to become a missionary or a pastor. My roommate in college felt that way. His pastor told him that if he really felt led to be a minister he would do all he could to support him, but he wanted him to understand that you don’t have to be a pastor to show God’s love to other people.
If you have been called to be a minister, I think you had better do it. You don’t want to end up like Jonah, right? If you just want to show God that you love him, however, you can do that right where you are.
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You’re right, Casey, nobody has to be a pastor or missionary to do God’s work.
I don’t mean my post to be that way, nor in any way implied that being a minister is a higher calling than serving God on a daily basis in our capacities, but more as a reminder to myself that if I were to be called to do more than doing what we do at our desks or in our vocations or just plainly in our daily lives, then I should, as you put it, just do it.
Thank you for your advice, although I’ll have to re-read Jonah’s story to remember, lol!
God bless.
Shalom Aleichem.
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Sicarii - I’ve got a question for you on BOT Ministries about God’s calling. This has been bugging me for years and I’d like to get your input. Thanks.
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Isaiah, I’m glad you’ve got your head on straight. This issue is close to home for me, because of my roommate (who did not become a pastor and is now leading camping trips that explore the glory of God’s creation) and the pastor at the church I attended a few years ago. I think the pastor made a mistake and thought he was being called to be a pastor when he really was not. His sermons were as good as sleeping pills, and he was awful at leading. For the three years we were there, my wife and I were the only members of that church, and we were miserable spiritually. It was kept alive by donations from the denomination. There’s much more to be said about the bad decisions he made, but I’ll stop there.
Suffice it to say that I think he could have done more for the Lord by becoming a member of a different church and using his energy to bring more people to the Church that way.I don’t know anything about your situation, so I can’t offer specific advice. I just wanted to let you know about the experiences of people I have known.
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Sorry, I should have mentioned that my former roommate is now happy doing what he does. I meant to show the contrast between the two stories but lost my train of thought.
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This is my opinion only. I have written and taught that the Great Commission comes down to three simple things. (1) GO (2) Baptize and (3) Teach. This doesn’t mean that you have to sell everything you own, give it to the church and leave on an overseas mission (unless of course, you feel led
) What go means is “while you’re out there”. So GO to work. GO to the store. GO to the movies, GO for a walk, GO for a bike ride. Listen to the spirit who will let you know who, what, where, when and why.I also feel that even though we can really be schmucks sometimes and do things that are in direct conflict with what God wants, he also uses those things to teach us and that so later, we can minister to those who do the same. Our paths are just as important to God.
Thanks for minding my ramblings
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Thanks for sharing, Casey.
Though I feel that there’s a calling, I am not rash about it. In everything there’s always much prayer and seeking God for confirmation before I will put anything into action.
Perhaps when I was younger, I might have been rash about it, but with age comes a little pragmatism. And I guess the fact that there are other worldly concerns to worry about does help a little in delaying any rash acts of faith, lol!
If and when I do get confirmation from God that this is what He really wants me to do, everyone here will be the first to know.
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Greetings, Mike!
Welcome to my blog and thank you for leaving your thoughts on my post.
I totally agree with you on what you said. Opportunities abound in our everyday life to fulfill the Great Commission. Yet at the same time, most times we don’t do it because of fears of inadequacy. At the same time, I also don’t feel like I have been a good witness for our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore are hesitant to share.
Though I agree with your 3 simple steps, I have one more to add, and that’s to be a witness unto Christ Jesus through our actions and words. For indeed action speaks louder than words, and we should let our actions do some of the talking.
Thank you for adding me to your blogroll! I am honored. I will be adding yours to mine as well.
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I want to make sure that you know that you have talked to me before. I used to blog at Just Another Night Owl.
I agree with your additional step. Actions speak much louder than our words. I posted a reader board saying and can’t remember where I got it. The saying was “out of 100 people 1 reads the Bible while 99 read the Christian”.
We must walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
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Matthew 4
18And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
When Jesus spoke to Peter and Andrew, they dropped their nets (their livelihood) and followed Jesus. Their nets metaphorically can refer to our earthly worries. Everyone has a different calling when it comes to serving the Lord.
Isaiah, personally I felt you are already exalting the Lord’s name and serving him by creating this blog. Maybe you have did not see it. You chose to glorify the wonderous love of the Lord rather than writing a blog of controversial self gratification and nonsensical rantings.
The last thing i want to see on earth is a youtube video of you dancing nekkid to the music of Tom Jone’s Sex Bomb
=)
May the Lord bless you and His grace shine upon your family.
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Isaiah, do you not consider your blog to be a ministry? It is. That may not have been your original intent, in starting it, but if I may be so bold, I’d say that it was perhaps, God’s. Going “into ministry” doesn’t just mean starting a church, or leading a building full of believers. It means teaching the Word of God, which you are doing every day. Don’t sell yourself short. Because Christ gave us all the Great Commission, so He also gave us all the ability. Blessings and Shalom.
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Dear Mike:
Now I do remember.
I have come to realize a long time ago that people judge Christians differently from others of various faiths/religions. That just means that it is so much more important that we lead a life worthy of calling ourselves Christians.Just as Christ Jesus was a reflection of the Father, we are, to the world, a reflection of Him.
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LOL, Willy. What if I had a YouTube video as the one you described?
Seriously, thank you for the encouragement and the blessings, brother.Shalom Aleichem.
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Dear Shalene:
I thank you, Casey, Mike, and Willy for pointing out what was so obvious and yet I was blind to it.
You are right — I didn’t start out on blogging with the intention to write all these. I was more interested in the technological aspects, like writing about gadgets and stuff, but I soon found I wasn’t really enjoying it as much as I thought I would.
Then I started writing on my Christian life, and it all became quite clear that it was what I was supposed to be doing, because the words just flowed. From then on, I decided that this was what the blog shall be all about.
And I believe that, yes, I think that God called me to write this blog and minister through this channel.
So thank you all for helping me to see the light. I should also stop being so unsure and feeling inadequate. If I do, then I am doubting God’s work in and through me.
God bless, and Shalom Aleichem.
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