The Hard Callings — Broken & Hopeful

“Success or failure isn’t up to you. Don’t wear it.” That’s what Mike Wells used to tell me. This means that people will make choices and God is at work in lives and we have NO control over it. It really confronts our illusion of control. We think that we have some influence on people and work to try to help them and fix their problems, but we really have very little. Instead, we listen to what God wants us to say to them, participate in the work He is doing in them and watch what they choose. We always have the ability to choose other than what God is desiring for us.

I watch many make really poor decisions—and have made quite a few myself! And even in the mistakes and stupidity, Jesus is working and loving and drawing us to Himself.

I talk to people about their problems all the time. We try to work through what they should do, what God is doing in their lives and what the revelation of His love is to them in that particular circumstance. But a lot of times, they turn around and do exactly the opposite of what I believe they should. It’s tempting then to give up and decide that I am the worst possible person to talk to them. That’s a lie, though, as it wasn’t my wisdom that was given to them—it was from Jesus. It wasn’t my will for them—it was His! So, if they move on in Him, it’s because of Him. If they turn from Him, it’s up to Him to deal with that too. They have decided based on their choices and His leading, and I just get to be a participant.

If you work with people at all (including your parents, kids and spouse!), I want to encourage you to consider Mike’s words, as people-work can be incredibly disillusioning. You are called to this in Christ, and it is Christ who sustains you—not the success of what you are doing. This may seem like I’m telling you it’s ok to be really terrible at your job or ministry. That’s not what I’m saying. And really, when you are walking in the Spirit, you can’t be really terrible at it! You are the best person to be there because you are the one God called to be there, not because you are incredibly qualified, incredibly smart or incredibly gifted. To me, that allows a relief. No matter what your calling (ministry, career, kids, spouse, etc) you are called to Jesus first. He will meet all your needs in these situations. You are always enough because He is always enough.

Approaching these hard callings require nothing but an empty bag. Mike used to tell me often to walk into everything with an empty bag. This meant that I didn’t bring anything I thought was going to fix people or any particular skills that I thought were going to promote healing. I come into any relationship, instead, with an absolute knowledge that I don’t have enough to fix or heal anyone. I ask that Jesus come and fill my empty bag, and that is the only reason that I can talk to anyone. He brings all that we need for the situation. This speaks incredible rest for me. I don’t have to rack my brain for the thing that is needed to get a person to a place of healing. I go into the place with an empty bag, Jesus brings everything, and then the person chooses.

Often, I find that Jesus is speaking to me while I’m speaking to someone else. That is the reason for my calling to this ministry—because it is my place to grow. I must come to Jesus over and over through these people’s lives and grow close to Him. That is also the reason for your particular calling. Whether it be a spouse, kids, singleness, a ministry, a job or numerous other callings, we are in that place because God knows it is where we will get to know Jesus best. He will be enough to deal with the hard of this moment, and we will know Him in it. It’s a true miracle really that He brings beauty out of agony, and sometimes we get to see it. More even than that, we get to know Him in it.

I’m not telling you this because I’m in need, for I have learned to be satisfied in any circumstance. I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance. For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty. I am convinced that my God will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of glory revealed to me through the Anointed One, Jesus Christ! Philippians 4:11-13,19