A divine calling is not just a purpose or call. A lot of folks exhaust a lot of time searching for what it is God “wants them to do with their life”. And many writers distill the path to that down to a few “easy steps”.
Presumably, getting to this elusive answer will make them happy. And it’s interesting (to me, at least) how frequently these divine calls result in wealth and fame. Even more peculiar (again, at least to me) is the fact that despite the wealth, the fame, and the promise that their divine call would allow them to be happy, they are utterly miserable.
Your Divine Calling is Not a Promise of Happiness
Make no mistake, you exist for God’s pleasure, plans, and His glory. It is through the charitable grace of God that you are a part of that plan. Your happiness is a bonus.
How many leaders of the faith throughout the Bible were -at some point – unhappy about their divine call? (Raise your hand, Moses!)
In the post about God’s Word, I shared a quote from author, Max Davis. In it, he explains that our job is to get out of the way so the Holy Spirit can live and shine through us.
That’s the humility to say, not my will, but yours, God (Luke 22:42). — See! even Jesus was at odds with his divine call, yet he remained steadfast in his obedience.
You might also be interested in knowing that Davis heard a voice revealing his divine call. It was a year or two after his coming to know Christ. He was planning to pursue physical therapy after high school. So why did the voice tell him he would write books for God?
And why was it a struggle for him to become published even as he pursued that call? After all, he was doing what God told him to do… he should have happiness. And fame. And fortune! Right?
Instead, he found frustration and divorce. Desperation and pain. Yet he continued to pursue God’s will. And today, the Holy Spirit has shined through his writing. His writing has touched countless lives and led God’s people into deeper relationships with their Lord.
Mission accomplished.
A divine calling is no promise of happiness for follow through. Rather, our obedience is a promise of transformation and eventual eternal restoration.
Scripture Transforms Us (and Our Motives).
Dr. Bob was a long-time leader in my church. He had been there long before I knew God. Yet, I knew of Dr. Bob because he had owned the triplex house directly next to my childhood home. My parents told me he was a good guy, but would not allow them to down the walnut tree that stood on our mutual property lines.
I later learned he was a gifted surgeon who was trusted by virtually everyone in our community. And then I one-day found myself worshiping alongside him.
I considered it a treat when he would lead our flock in prayer and reading of scripture. He was calm and supremely confident without presenting as arrogant. His voice, both emboldened and powerful, you had to pay attention. Clearly, God was speaking through him.
When entering into church leadership myself, Dr. Bob was assigned to mentor me. He took the task with seriousness and also took the time to re educate himself. Not just spout what he knew or what he wanted me to know.
There was no desire to mold me in his image. No agenda other than to educate me as God intended. He himself, at an advanced age, continued to learn and ensure he guided others in the ways God intends.
In addition to teaching me the content, he also shared his personal experiences.
In particular, he shared what I have come to understand as “the transformational moment.” Dr. Bob explained that he has asked God into his heart, led Bible Studies, Sunday School, and much more over years and even decades. Then, one night while sitting and reading through scripture, he paused and heard a voice clear as if it came from the fireplace next to him.
The text he had been reading is text he had read many times over. He knew it well and could explain it. Yet, on that night, a voice said to him “this stuff is real.”
From that moment on, Dr. Bob was transformed. Not only did he know the text and could he explain it, his heart was in it. His heart could testify to the full power and authority of God’s living word. And today, a countless number of lives are living on and finding eternal hope because you did. Thank you, Dr. Bob (1932-2014).
My prayer, today, is that you and I shall be continually transformed by every bit of God’s word.