No Denying the Call
Several weeks ago, my husband and I were wandering down the aisles of a bookstore in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the back of the store there was an entire section of used commentaries for resale. It was a little like a scavenger hunt as we looked for certain commentaries to complete a set that we have. I got more excited with each one we found. As we walked out of the store, I started chuckling, and my husband asked me what was so funny. I said if he had told me ten years ago that I would be studying theology and get as excited as a kid in a candy store to find a few commentaries, I would have laughed in his face. At that time, I would have said there was no way, and that I did not think I could ever study theology.
In 2016, God confirmed a call on my life that was placed there a few decades ago. I had a crisis moment as I thought about my call and the fact that I was already a mom of three, pastor’s wife, home business owner, and in charge of my child’s parent teacher organization. I wondered how I was going to go back to school; I wondered if I had what it took to be a student again; I wondered how I would manage a home and ministry life while being a full-time student. In that moment a verse came to mind that has been a life verse for me - Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
There was one thing that was certain; I could no longer deny my calling. God calls us at different ages and stages of our lives, and whether you are nineteen or fifty-nine, God wants to use you to further His Kingdom. I was inspired by a picture from General Superintendent, Dr. David Busic, recently, at the ordination service of a 90-year-old woman. Age, gender, and perceived ability, do not define us; God does not stereotype according to human standards; What He does require is Christlikeness.
Some have been in ministry for decades, while others are still trying to figure out what our ministry is going to look like. All of us can feel the pressure of the demands of life on our shoulders. In the midst of our circumstances, it can be tempting to question the path that we find ourselves on. Our load and our burdens may seem too heavy to carry. Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Whether you find yourself, like me, a student with a full plate of life or a seasoned professional with decades of experience, you can find yourself questioning if you can do that which God has called you to do. God doesn’t put us on a path to go it alone. He puts us on a path behind Him, to learn from Him and be led by Him. Right now, God might be asking you to start in a ministry role, to change how you minister, to move to a new place, or to complete your time in ministry, but again, He is not asking you to do it alone. Give Him your burdens and your worries, take His yoke upon you, and find rest in your soul. In the words of Paul in Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
By Kristie Selvidge, Creative Arts and Community Outreach Pastor, and NBC Bible and Theology Student
Published: 02/25/2019
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