God Calls Others Too

Lately my mind has been EVERY where!!! I mean I just jump from one thing to the next. I stress about school work, not having enough time to do what I want, finding God throughout the day, finding time to spend time with Him, learning everything I need to, getting my $40,000 worth, and growing up (future). Last night I was like, “God I have so much to do.” Today, I got all but an hour or two worth of my stuff done. Then I had this feeling to write a blog, but first I checked the blogs I follow. I found my friend’s blog that hit home for me. I mean I needed it sooo much! He is so amazing. I don’t want this to be a catch up session to my blog readers, but about what God has been opening my eyes up to. I’m going to start with a story:

There once was a family that went to a church since the children were very young. The husband had his pastoral requirements, but did not feel called to use that degree at the time. He was working in factory, but after his children were all in college he was called into ministry. This meant he had to leave the church he had been at for 20+ years to fulfill his calling. No one looked down on him because he was going into ministry. Years later a family that went to that same church since the children were very young was called to leave the church. They felt that it wasn’t where they were meant to be any more due to some problems in the church. The children, then, went to college and the parents returned. They still didn’t feel like it was where God wanted them to be. So, the couple found a church where they began to feel spiritually filled again. They, then, found out that the church needed their spiritual gift of missions that their home church didn’t need from them. They knew that for sure this is where God had called them to go. But, the first church (not knowing or caring what this family was doing at their new church) told them they were unchristian because they left when they needed them to fight.

Is that fair? Both couples followed God’s calling for their lives. One couple was called to be a pastoral family, while the other was called to lead missions. One couple was cared about by the church, while the other was looked down upon. I feel like this is reality to so many. The church’s excuse is that the second family was “unchristian” because the church needed them to fight for the church’s problems. But what is more important: spiritual growth or the number of people that walk into the church’s doors? What is more important: the church or the Church? In Ecclesiates 3 (A Time for Everything) it says "[There is] A right time to hold on and another to let go."

Who are we as humans to say when it is someone’s time (and sometime our own time) to hold on or let go? And isn’t the great commission to build the Church, not the church? What if everyone’s spiritual gift was to be a pastor? Likewise, to lead missions? Or sing in the choir/praise band? Or lead prayer? Or teach Sunday School? Etc.

Then why is it wrong for one family to follow their spiritual gift, but not the other?  Trick question: It’s Not.

We are so often focused on our gifts and our agenda (even our God given agenda) that we don't realize that others attribute to a Greater calling as well.  Sometimes people come for a season and are called elsewhere, but were are often so caught up on how we think God's agenda will play out that we forget to surrender that agenda and calling for others to further His Kingdom.