Facing the not-so-fun-stuff of your calling

Cruising down the road in my mini-van this morning (I realize I start far too many paragraphs that way. I’m hopeful that one day my stories will highlight me racing down the road in an over-the-top-adorable mini cooper instead of barreling on top of concrete in a little bus. But for now, I’ll have to rock it.), my 4 year old daughter and I were discussing all the happenings of kindergarten, which she will get to experience next year. Right alongside her excitement for learning to read and write and such, she listed all the things she is not excited for. Then, much to my surprise, she threw out this little gem,  

“My teacher will also teach me to ride a skateboard mama!”

Uhhhh…..

No sweet thing. You will have fun in your day, no doubt, but learning how to do tricks on a skateboard isn’t quite why we go to school.

Immediately I could sense a lesson to be learned from my cute-but-strange conversation with my daughter. I think that Charlotte’s upcoming school year is like our desire to live out our passions and the callings God places on our lives. My daughter is a fast learner so academics excite her because learning comes natural to her. It invigorates her to be challenged. Much like our natural abilities invigorate us and fuel creativity and fulfillment in our lives. But, what happens when living in those passions requires things that don’t excite us? Like Charlotte, we may not be able to learn how to skateboard while pursuing the callings we have. We may never get famous or recognized at all for what we do. We may have to move to places we don’t (initially) want to and we just may have to do things in general that make us bored, uncomfortable or down-right queasy.

When those unloved tasks come along, it's easy to question why we are doing what we’re doing. On one hand, it’s healthy to be in a state of reevaluation to ensure we are still pursing that which God want’s us to. Sometimes when we find ourselves feeling unsatisfied it’s because God is telling us that it was a great run, but it’s time to move on sister! As Christine Caine says, “If the horse is dead, dismount!” More often than not though, we will find that there are layers to our callings.

Allow me to share a personal example. As a young writer, I have struggled greatly with the idea of needing to build a platform. I’m currently working on writing a book which means that I am facing this issue head on. One of the first questions publishers will ask is, “Do you have a platform? How big?” I have spent the better part of this past year anxious and frustrated over that. I don’t want to build my name. I want to make God’s name famous. Through the gracious work of God, he has shown me that building a platform really has nothing to do with me, after all. Out of obedience and passion to pursue what God has called me to pursue, writing and speaking, I will need to do some things that make me wrestle with God and purpose and destiny and all the things that are wrapped up in this flesh version of myself. By resisting my calling because of something I'm wrestling with, I am resisting my calling. Period. 

I now have a new heart-set. A new mind-set. A new goal-set. My aim is not to make myself famous. My aim is to humbly put my name underneath the name of Jesus so that He can be famous. If putting my name on some social media, marketing or graphic sign “stuff” is part of what I need to do, then okay. I can do that, dear publishers. Not because it jazzes me, but because I believe that God wants to reach this generation in a special way, using the unique avenue of the internet. He gives me words to do that and it’s amazing really that we live in a time that words can reach the world within seconds!

My Charlotte is going to get a taste of what it means to experience the less than exciting tasks of life mixed right in with the cool stuff. I am praying that she would lay under the loving hand of God as she wades those waters. It’s kindergarten now but that is the training ground for the years to come. We will spend many years learning how to balance the thrilling parts of life with the duty-filled parts. It's just a real struggle of life. Instead of wishing away those uncertain or difficult parts, we can move forward with confidence that God will never leave us to figure it out alone. He will provide what we need to accomplish what he wills. Simple truth. Breathe it in and press on, dear sisters.

 

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Reflection

What not-so-fun things are you facing right now in your calling?

Have you hesitated to obey God because you didn't like a piece of your assignment?

How can you walk forward today in pursuing a more faith-filled approached to your calling?