You are called to do greater things.
I don’t know where you are in this world, or in your walk with God. But I know He has a plan for you and is currently exposing to you a step along that path. It may not be what you hoped for or envisioned for yourself. It may not feel like the timing is right or the situation is safe. But you have something between a slight inclination and a strong pull to do something that has been on your heart for sometime. I want to encourage you to investigate that urge. If you aren’t clear on what He is pulling you to, ask Him. Spend time in His Word, and be still – expecting an answer. But before you do any of this – praise Him – if for no other reason, but for the breath He provides for that praise (Psalms 150:6).
This answer may not be a huge surprise. You might just get confirmation that you are called by Him to do something you’ve known you were going to do all of your life. And if this is your situation, congratulations – that clarity is a gift, be grateful. But be warned, just because the clarity is there now, it may not always be. You will face great opposition and you will need to rely on His strength to persevere. It’s part of the design.
On the other hand, you may be struggling right out of the gate. Confused by His answer, by your calling. It may seemingly make no sense to you. It may be clear where you are being called but you have no idea how to get there. Or you may be pulled clearly toward your next step, but have no idea where it may lead. Often times, God will show us the mountain top or the path – but rarely will he expose both at the same time. Having experienced this myself, I can tell you that with every step in obedience, another step is revealed in His timing, but not before you step in obedience.
Whether you are gifted clarity or gifted mystery – your journey to and through your calling will not be easy. You will face opposition. You will face trials. You will face the opportunity to be Esau and give up a lifetime of promise for a chance at instant gratification, or to be Jacob and delay your gratification but fulfill your calling and have great impact for God’s Kingdom. Don’t give up a life time of substance for a quick meal (Hebrews 12:16). Stay connected to God and through that relationship your trials will become victories and another step down His path.
Your trials may not just be difficult obstacles, you will also encounter negative and discouraging people. Every dream has doubters. And there will be a lot of noise from those who aren’t understanding or in agreement with God’s calling on your life. Put them out of the room. Do not misconstrue my advice here. I am in no way saying that you should remove people from your life and stop caring for them. That is the opposite of what Jesus teaches. But what I am saying is, remove them from your circle of influence. We all have a handful of people in our lives that we rely on heavily for guidance and influence. If you do not know who these people are in your life, spend some time doing an inventory, they are there. They are the ones that if you were to disappoint them – it would crush you. If they congratulated you – you would feel on top of the world. These are your influencers. And if your influencers are not supportive, constructive, caring, and positive, put them out of room. Care about them, but do not allow them to have influence on your life’s calling. They are just noise that confuses the mission, and you must focus. Follow Jesus’ lead on this. He had no problem removing the noise to accomplish the mission (Mark 5:39-40).
The weight of a calling can be frightening. The feeling that it is so important that you have to be sure and do it perfectly can be paralyzing. And if this is where you are currently, or you get to this point in the future, you may not be ready. And that is okay. This is where you hit pause and regroup by praying, reading, and listening. Because all of the power that you need is inside you. He will not call you to something He will not walk you through. But you have to stay connected. So if you are feeling weak and alone, call on His strength before moving forward. His Spirit is there, always.
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7
If you have any questions or comments – please reach out to me through a comment below or on the contact page. I would love to hear your story and help where I can.
Thank you for reading!
Dadvotionals 