Finding our calling can be a challenge, whether it is in our workplace, our church, a community group, or even just in our personal life. Being married to a Methodist pastor (i.e. itinerant), I have had to find my "niche" with every move we have made.
When we left Everett, PA, I lamented leaving my writing buddies behind. “You could start a Christian writers’ group in Chambersburg.” Dick suggested.
“Start a writer’s group?” I asked, certain that nudge couldn’t be God speaking through my husband. Could it?
With little formal training in creative writing and not even a writers’ conference to draw knowledge from, I certainly didn’t feel qualified to launch and lead a group of writers, but God thought differently.
I took the first step by offering a writers’ Bible study at our church, using Marlene Bagnull”s book, Write His Answer. Basically, I shared what I learned as I learned. Within six months, with team effort, our little Christian inspiration and critique group was not only up and running, but flourishing!
In other places God has used the various abilities He has given me—organizational skills, love for kids, persistence, etc—to serve Him right where I am, at that particular time. However, I often feel inadequate to the task.
I don’t think I am the only one with those feelings. Certainly the first disciples did. When Jesus saw the 5000 people milling around at mealtime, he wanted very much to feed them. But when he asked the disciples about it, they offered familiar excuses—"It will cost too much” “What we have is too little!” “Where would we get what we need?” “It’s too late!”
But Jesus said, “Bring what you have to me.”
He whispers those same words to us today. He can take the little we think we have and make it more than enough—more than enough writing ability, more than enough love, more than enough money, more than enough wisdom, more than enough strength, more than enough—of whatever it takes.
All Jesus asks is that we give Him what we do have and take the first step. He will do the rest. Remember her uncle’s words to Esther, the young Jewish woman who finds favor with the Persian king, becomes queen, and risks her life to save the Jewish people from destruction? “Maybe it was for a time like this that God made you queen!”
What is God calling you to do? Are you hesitating? What is one step you can take toward obedience to His call? Maybe it was for a time like this that God made you. . .
