Called to Ohio

Chuck on July 22nd, 2008

Well, I’m at Portland airport waiting to board the plane.  Another day of travel ahead and another week away from my family.  One of “those things,” I guess.  It’s weird, I hate being gone, my wife obviously doesn’t like it either, my daughters miss me…and yet, every time my wife and I talk about it we still feel like we need to be doing this.  It’s about calling over comfort.

I was talking to a friend yesterday about calling.  Figuring out calling is an entirely subjective thing, and yet when you’re called there’s nothing that can change your mind.  You don’t have an option.  Isn’t that weird?  What is that?  How can we not point to anything tangible, and yet hold so firmly to it?

It’s called (no pun intended) being led by the Holy Spirit.  Walking in, with, and by the Spirit all the time is tough, subjective, completely against American culture and yet fun, exciting, and convincing.  It’s in these times when we feel God work the most.

What are you “called” to be and do?  Which decisions are you making out of comfort rather than calling?What are you doing today that is American and you rationalize it as spiritual?  What decisions are you making that are spiritually focused, beyond any circumstance?  Those are four questions I frequently ask myself.

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Share Discuss (1)

Marlene at 12:39am July 23

One time a while ago during my “quiet time”, I read Matthew 11: 28-30 which says,

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”

And when I finished reading that, my first thought was, “Wait minute Jesus! No, it’s not [light]“.
But then the conviction set in, and I remembered that I’m the one that makes it hard. Dying to myself is the bittersweet feeling. His yoke is the most precious thing I bear, and the burden he gives me is SO light because it is filled with hope and grace. Because of the Holy Spirit, everything I feel “called” to do doesn’t have to do with me. There has been a work in me, so there can be a work through me.

“For it is not you who will be speaking-it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10:20

Anyway, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts because they laid stuff out for me. I feel it, but you put it in words.