We all long for a sense of meaning. Until you and I get a picture for how we individually fit into God’s plan of reconciliation, we will always settle for lesser pleasures that give just enough fulfillment for us to sense deep meaning.
Knowing a lot about God and what He created us to do doesn’t motivate us to actually do it anymore than knowing how to churn butter motivates us to churn it ourselves. Knowing our calling isn’t so much about learning facts as it is discovering God’s work in our lives.
Until we discover His work in our lives, the pleasures that following Him requires us to give up will always have a greater pull on our hearts then Jesus Christ Himself.
Over the last four posts I’ve given a birds-eye view of what it means to live a life that matters. We’ve looked at creation, how God is the creator of everything and how Satan led man astray. Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve we as humans have had a propensity to do life apart from God.
That’s where salvation comes in, and what we looked at in part two. God’s good creation was broken. Through Jesus Christ and the grace given by his one act of obedience, the broken creation can now live as God intended if yielded to His Holy Spirit.
Church, which is what we discussed in part three, is where we experience more of God. God uses His Bride (or Body) to pursue humanity. We experience more of God as we engage with His people. Furthermore, His people are the avenue through which He reconciles the broken world. We are called to take part with Him in the work of reconciliation.
But here’s where we turned a corner. Creation, salvation and church set a stage for our understanding God’s design for this life, but where do we as people fit into His plan? How do our unique lives become lives of deep meaning?
Through radical love – which is what we talked about in part four.
To close out this series, I’d like to pose three questions that help us understand our personal calling in life and how we can tangibly love others with the same radical love Christ loves us with.
Question #1 – What has God saved me from?
In Philippians two, Paul encourages his fellow brothers and sisters at Philippi to “work out their own salvation in fear and trembling.” Until I put this verse in the context of what Paul had just said, it always puzzled me.
“Therefore,” in verse twelve indicates “because of something.” Verses five through eleven speak of Christ leaving His home in glory where it would not have been robbery for Him to remain, to be in the place of God. He is God, after all. Nonetheless, He gave up the pleasures of Heaven and came into the trenches of a broken world so that we could be saved, reconciled back to the Father. Because of that, because of Christ’s selfless sacrifice on our behalf, we must “therefore” work out our salvation in fear and trembling, which basically means “having great respect for the sacrifice Christ gave.”
You see, salvation is not about escaping a judgement, it’s about living as we were designed to live in the first place and helping others live that way as well. We could “believe” Jesus to be the Christ, repent from our sins and live holy lives, and yes, we could probably even live luxurious lives in Christian city USA, like we do so well, and still have the Spirit of God within us. But His Spirit is not given to be held to ourselves. Keeping the pleasure of God’s grace to ourselves basically means we don’t care about what Christ did for us.
So here’s the first question to help you and I know our calling: “What has Christ saved me from?” I’m talking specifically. Until I see personally how Christ’s sacrifice has benefited me, I will not care about it.
Christ has saved me from sexual immorality. He has saved me from bitterness toward my father. He has saved me from rebellion against authority. Yes, He has saved me from living outside of His design, but these are a few specific ways I attempted living outside of His design that He has now saved me from. Each of the ways Christ has saved me has become an avenue of ministry, now. Because of His sacrifice and the work He did in my life, I now have a heart for others struggling with sexual immorality, bitterness or rebellion.
What has Christ saved you from?
Question #2 – What has God laid on my heart?
As we begin living from hearts of radical love, we begin seeing problems in the world that need dealt with—specific ways in which broken people could be reconciled back to their perfect Creator.
This may go beyond something God has already done in our lives. For instance, a few years ago God laid on my heart to teach because by living in the inner city I saw how through education there are many opportunities I could influence young people for Truth. I had never taught before—I hadn’t even gone to school. I was homeschooled. But God placed a vision on my heart that never went away. The same is true for writing. I feel compelled to share a message as much as I feel pleasured by the art of writing.
God not only directs us through ways He has saved us specifically, but He also lays burdens on our hearts that He wants us to pursue.
What has God laid on your heart?
Question #3 – What can I do, right now, to pursue these passions?
Hopefully you’re beginning to catch a glimpse for how God may want to use your life, specifically, in reconciling other to Himself. If so, ask yourself one more question: what can you do, right now, to pursue these passions?
What can you do to help someone who is struggling with the same kind of sin Christ has saved you from? What can you do to fulfill a need God has opened your eyes to? God saves us and gives us vision, but He doesn’t necessarily move us. He may arrange life in such a way that we feel moved, but taking action always comes back to being our responsibility.
Will you obey? Will you participate in His eternal work of reconciliation? How so?
I started a blog because I discovered I enjoyed writing and I felt compelled to share a message. Since starting this blog, I’ve written an eBook sharing my journey in overcoming bitterness. Now, I’m working on a “real” book about male sexuality and overcoming lust. I didn’t realize at first this is where it would lead, I simply started moving toward the passions on my heart developed by what God had done in my life or given me vision for.
I also moved my family overseas to take advantage of a teaching opportunity. Maybe it was a bit dramatic, but God provides plenty of opportunities to begin stepping into our calling, sometimes we need to act on them instead of letting them all pass up in hopes of the perfect one coming along.
But taking action doesn’t have to necessarily be big, like moving overseas. Is there a guy in your youth group who is quiet, seems alone, like you were when you were his age? Go do something with him. Invest in his life. Has God brought friends into your life who struggle financially, as you once did? How could you begin sharing with them simple tools and tips you learned about handling money in a way that honors God?
It’s usually not that hard to figure out what our calling is; we just need to ask the right questions:
What has God saved me from? What is He laying on my heart? What can I do, today, to pursue these?
