Today, I found myself wrestling with the question of mycall and my role in it. The Lord has been calling me to focus more attention on the call, but I have been fearful that because of our current difficult circumstances, I was being neglectful in my role as a father and husband.
This morning I was ministered to by a council of Godly co-laborers. One dear brother, as he was leaving looked at me and said: “1 Peter 5:10.” One of the other men asked, “Why did he say that to you?” I responded, “We’re about to find out…”
1 Peter 5:10 (NASB)
10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
We then began to talk about our yoking to Jesus and how our burdens are lessened as we work in tandem with Him. Another man then shared a story of a friend who followed the Lord’s direction, but continued to miss what he thought he was looking for. It was pointed out that faithfulness and obedience was what the Lord was seeking…not the completion of a task. Many times the difficult places and circumstances we find ourselves in are not due to bad choices, sin or any other heinous action. The real reason we find ourselves in that place is because we have simply followed Jesus there.
Over the course of the afternoon, I found my resolve being wishy-washy. Carol began to speak to me about the refinement process and its preparation of my life for the things ahead, but she emphasized my calling and my work were already clearly defined. During our Organic Group tonight, I asked “Where do you most need to experience the powerful presence of God in your life tonight?” Carol’s answer once again returned to the refinement process and call of our previous conversation. Carol asked the Lord to empower me with a committed Spirit that would not waver under an adversity to the work He has already laid before me.
As we spent a few moments in silence, I was reminded of Elisha:
1 Kings 19:19-21 (NASB)
19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him.
20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”
21 So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.