Are You Ready To Do Something? Part I

Is there something you’d like to be doing but don’t know where to start?

Perhaps you’re not sure yet what you want to do, but you’re ready to make a change?

If you’re seeking answers to those questions, welcome to the journey! : ) 

Welcome to the place where faith meets the road less traveled!  It’s a true adventure, full of unknowns, yet accompanied by our great and mighty God.

As children of God, we have been etched in His design.  Proverbs 16:4 says that the Lord has made everything for its own purpose.  Further, our purpose as believers is found in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Yeshua, Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  We rejoice in that we were created by God to accomplish His plan for our lives. 

But, I’ve been wondering, what is the context, or backdrop for my works?  What have I been designed to do?  And, if God has an appointed time for everything according to Ecclesiastes 3:1, then how do I discern and steward those appointed times?

After sending-up persistent prayers to God, a window of understanding recently opened for me.  And, it continues to slowly unfold as a flower, revealing small portions at a time.  It began with a phone conversation with my friend who is like a mother. 

“Somebody’s got to do something!” she said.  She wasn’t referring to my life but a situation in hers.  Ever since that conversation it’s as if someone were yelling and screaming it from the floor of the canyon-like landscape of my heart. 

No doubt, this was the proverbial swift kick in the pants.  I knew it was my time to do something!  But, what exactly was I supposed to do?  I had no idea how to proceed.

A while back my husband and I were invited to lunch by our new friends, Mr. and Mrs. McCormick.  As we left the restaurant I noticed Mr. McCormick’s watch had a compass on it.  My eyes honed-in on “N” for North.  In that moment it was True North to me.

Then I heard in my spirit, “He can give you direction.  Ask him.”  So, I asked if he could give me some career counseling.  His face lit up with a smile.  He enthusiastically said, “That’s what I do!”  So, we made plans to meet.

In our first meeting I showed Mr. McCormick my résumé and talked to him about my interests, as well as desires for ministry.  I told him that lately my career pursuits felt heavy.  He immediately interjected and exhorted me.  He said that God does not intend for our lives to be heavy! 

He asked me if I knew my mission and calling.  I didn’t know what he meant, so I asked him to explain.  He said that what we do, what I call the “backdrop”, is our mission and calling.  I told him that I only knew bits and pieces of it.


He asked me two questions:

“What do you love to do?”

“What would you do even if you didn’t get paid to do it?”

I was stumped!  I tried so hard to fathom the idea of doing what I loved and making a living at it.  But, I had nothing!


I immediately thought of needs that I could fill that correlated with my background and experience and drew upon my education.  

But, Mr. McCormick said that having a burden or an ability to fill a need were not grounds for determining mission and calling.

Choosing a vocation had become cerebral.  I pursued that which was conventional, lest I appear capricious and lacking wisdom.

But, Mr. McCormick said that mission and calling is indicated, defined, and fueled by passion.

For me, having a passion was no problem.  I had passion for many things—Israel, music, vintage jewelry, and so on.  But, the burning question was, what would I do if money were not an issue?  What would I do for the sheer love of it?  

I have ruminated on that question many times before, but I never got definitive answers.  I have tried to capture the “ideal job” in my mind but haven’t yet. 

Meanwhile, I have been watching and waiting with expectancy.

To say that it bothered me would be an understatement.  It gnawed at me something fierce!  I didn't understand why God would allow me to seemingly flail.

What I longed for was a vocation that flowed with ease and enjoyment.  I tried so hard to figure it out.  

Something must be wrong with me, I thought. 

  

Mr. McCormick gave me some homework, exercises and questions to decipher and decode the desires buried deep in my heart.


Each one chipped away the layer upon layer of sediment—the assessments, disbelief, and pride that had formed in my heart, replacing particles of childlike faith. 

At last, my dusty, cloudy spiritual spectacles were cleaned.


And, there He was, El Roi, the God Who Sees Me.

(To Be Continued)

Read more...