Do you ever find yourself asking God to reveal that seemingly secret ministry calling for your life? Like you know deep down in your heart that you’re supposed to be doing something more, but when it comes down to the logistics you’re clueless. For many years I’ve felt like there’s a specific ministry the Lord has in mind for my husband and me to pursue, and while I may have an idea of what it will entail, overall I’m uncertain of how’s it’s going to come to pass. I just know the time isn’t now, but if not now, then when? Has this happened to anyone else? This sense that there’s something up ahead?
Maybe it’s just me who feels this weird tug for something more, but feels uncertain of the peculiars. Maybe I’m the only one with a calling, but also a not yet, my child, clause attached. Regardless, my husbands feels it too, and as we reside in our waiting place we strive to bloom where we are planted, please God in the everyday mundane, and be a light to those we encounter every step of the way. I feel like my husband is a pro at this, and even today as he talked about hiring a new employee, I marveled at his comment of “it’s about more than finding a delivery driver. It’s being that influence someone might need in their life.”
It had been needling at me since yesterday morning that I was missing out on the opportunity to serve God’s kingdom purposes on the daily. Most days I was so busy with plans, rushing to be on time, and all the tasks I wanted to complete that I couldn’t slow down long enough to see how God could use me. After all, if you’re too busy being focused on getting your to-do list checked off, and getting from point A to point B at a breakneck pace, you have little time to contemplate how you might positively influence those around you. Your mind is so preoccupied with the busy noise that you can’t possibly hear the still, small voice of God leading you to serve others.
You pass quickly by the homeless woman on the corner, and you convince yourself you don’t have time to talk to that stranger in the card aisle. Even though some voice inside your head tells you that you should.
You don’t bother to say thank you to your waitress, or strike up a friendly conversation with the young man taking your groceries to the car.
You yell at your children, the young lives you should be feeding into the most, and you give your husband a quick goodbye kiss before looking back down at your phone.
You miss the opportunity to pray for others, but also the chance to show them the heart of Jesus in every single word you speak or action you make. You miss the chance to be the hands and feet, a chance that actually occurs dozens of times a day.
And when I say you, I mean me, I mean us, I mean every single child of God who misses the chance to cultivate relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ, or invite others to the banquet table. Because the fact is our Dad is throwing the biggest party of all time, of all eternity, in fact. All He asks is that we invite as many friends along for this free meal of grace as we can. He’s even serving eternal life for dessert.
It’s hard to not rush about, but my prayer today is that I may slow down just enough to hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit when it calls. I pray that I can see how relationships carry more weight than success, how God’s purposes are more substantial than me making a name for myself, and how shining the light of Christ’s love is my ministry calling that I can carry out every single day, right where I’m at.
I can show the love of Jesus at the bedside as a nurse, and I can model His patience in my interactions with my children. I can shine His acceptance and forgiveness while I’m waiting in line at the grocery store, on the phone with the cable company, sitting in the bleachers as my child plays ball, or even supporting my spouse in his busy day. Every moment is an opportunity to learn more about the heart of Jesus, to show more the heart of Jesus, and to grow relationships through Him living in my heart. He may very well have a future, ministry calling for my life, but for now He calls me to live a life of ministry in everything I do.
Leslie White says
Beautifully written. We are called to obedience one step at a time. You have reminded us of the countless opportunities all believers have to shine the light of Jesus right where we are.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Absolutely. Thank you.
Theresa says
I’m absolutely speechless at how perfectly God has used your words to speak to my heart. My husband and I were having this exact conversation 4 hours ago! “WHAT is it that God is calling us to do? WHY do we feel like there is something always just beyond the horizon, but we can’t see it or even really know what it is?”
Thank you for answering YOUR calling with this post!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you!
Michael Santulli says
Pearls of wisdom.. God Bless!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you.
CBower says
By small things, great things come to pass. Yesterday in church we were reminded that every prompting is important as that moment may be our only chance to do that particular thing for that particular person when they need it most.
Your article reminded me of how our dear Father in Heaven has a great sense of humor. As our fifth child was just a year away from starting school, I felt to pray about where my focus should be when she wasn’t home with me all day. I had a part time job as a dental hygienist and looked at my upcoming schedule of more time to serve others an interesting challenge. I thought of the possibility of returning to my organ studies with the awesome professor I loved, to serve in the school library, visit a nursing home regularly as my grandmother had, etc. etc.
My prayers were sincere, and also included the clause, “if it be Thy will”. To our great surprise, we soon learned we were expecting baby #6. At that moment I knew that it was God’s will. All of the other things on my list of fun ways to serve could wait as I cared for my family and the new baby who came our way. It was my biggest calling at that time to be a Mother, not only to our children, but to those who came into our home from all walks of life. Our house was a safe and welcoming lunchtime hangout for teens from the high school, with yummy home cooked meals. Jr. High students could come over after school and stay until their mom got off work, not becoming latchkey children. Many blessings of love came into our family from several generations as we welcomed that little guy into our family.
I didn’t pray that exact prayer (to know how to fill my time best) until he was in 3rd grade, since it was apparent that my family and church work trumped music and school library, but when the time was right, I was led to get a degree in music and an amazing miracle of a harp and studying harp were introduced into my life. I also continue my work as a dental hygienist with patients I’d actually been seeing for decades, and do bookkeeping for my husband’s business. I’ve no doubt I will be notified by the Lord when another change it needed.
All along that way, little miracles happened in my days and nights to let me know exactly who needed my service and how I should give it. Promptings are regular occurrences, and as you say, we can always show kindness! Always.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you so much for sharing!