DROP THE DISCLAIMER
God often asks us to do the very thing we didn’t want to do.
Sometimes we feel inadequate; other times we simply nurture ideas more grandiose. We can spend years resisting what is in truth, the direction of the call of God on our lives. We construct clever diversions and substitutes, we submit alternative plans to God and we bang on doors He never intends us to walk through. So many times, we are convinced He’s picked the wrong person, or He’s put us in the wrong setting.
If you are being asked it is because there is something in you that God wants to activate to bless the world with.
It is futile to disagree with or question a God in Heaven who knows you, loves you, planned your existence and endowed you with gifts. The only meaningful response is to say an obedient, unattached, unhindered “YES!” regardless of how limited you might feel.
When we pursue self-gratified ways, we find ourselves at war internally. We are at odds with our true purpose and we find that, sadly, the reward of self-gratification is short lived.
I think of the remarkable account of the delivered demoniac in the eighth chapter of Luke’s Gospel – a heart-wrenching account of torment, pursuit, healing and transformation into complete wholeness.
From places of isolation to the feet of Jesus, this man found release from the deepest oppression. He would not be blamed for wanting to follow Jesus all the rest of his days. This was his request, “Jesus, let me follow you. Let me leave everything and follow you for the rest of my life.” But Jesus had other plans.
Many of us make big claims, vowing to follow Jesus to the ends of the Earth, only to realise that Jesus simply wants us obey, to go back, to stay and do the seemingly unglamorous and unspectacular.
while sacrifice is great, in Heaven’s books, obedience is better (1 Sam 15: 22).
The last thing our restored demoniac wanted to do was stay, when he begged Jesus to go with him. But we are often asked to do the very thing we never wanted to do.
We choose which lord we serve by who we obey. When we serve the (little-l) lord of self, we are slaves to our own impulses, desires and self-constructed ideas (noble they might sound). Or we can choose to serve the (capital-L) Lord, Jesus, by giving ourselves completely to Him in obedience.
I have learned to be bold and unapologetic with my YES. To say YES openly and immediately; without a disclaimer about inadequacy, opinion, fear or lack.
A YES with a disclaimer is not truly a YES.
It’s a double minded YES, and scripture tells us not to be double-minded (James 1: 8). We are instructed to ensure that our YES be YES (Matt 5:37).
Be bold with your YES – don’t allow room for excuse, inferiority, question or doubt. And know this:
If God is asking you, then He’s already made a way, He’s just looking for a vessel.
I can’t picture our Father in Heaven, unexpectedly concerned with your YES. Like He hadn’t thought it through before asking, and now suddenly finds Himself unprepared for resource or means to bring it to pass.
You have no reason to doubt
Stop sitting around making excuses
Quit banging on closed doors
Say YES to what He’s calling you to
God asks through various channels. If we’re cluey enough to listen and see His promptings they’re easy to detect.
I didn’t plan to do what I do now. I have two bachelor degrees, one in International Business and another in Journalism. Pastoring people and delivering the Word of God were not on my radar.
When my Senior Pastor, Mark Ramsey, asked me to bring a short message to the pulpit as a 19-year-old, I had a thousand self-incriminating and disparaging excuses as to why I was completely inadequate for the task. Riddled with self-doubt and shame, I condemned myself as his worst possible choice for the platform. My Pastor seemed to care little for my excuses. Year after year my pastor and my husband called me out of excuse and into the call of God. Our loving Father in Heaven will use godly leaders to highlight His calling on our lives.
Do you have someone in your life that is calling you into destiny?
Are you submitted to their counsel?
What are you passionate about?
What are your gifts and abilities?
These are also great indicators of your call. Your Heavenly Father gave those precious talents and unique traits to you so that He could bless the world through you. By withholding, you are in some way robbing me, and the rest of us, from encountering the fullness of God’s expression in the Earth. Don’t withhold. Use your gifts generously, in abandonment and to the benefit of others.
“Your talent is God’s Gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.” – Leo Buscaglia
He will also highlight your calling through different seasons.
Where are you right now?
What season do you find yourself in?
Who is around?
I often hear people pining for some far off ministry or business plan that they believe God will give them in the future. Sadly, the danger of living in the “some-day-when” is that we neglect precious souls staring us in the face right now.
I decided to not allow any season to excuse me from the call. Each time I was on maternity leave, I gave myself to ministering to other mums over coffees, lunches and play dates. I wasn’t going to allow a change in season to be a change in calling.
We are not called to position;
we are called to people.
I understand you may be an executive with a high-flying demanding schedule – perfect! Who better to stand in that setting and set godly-culture than you? God has put you there.
A student, reaching other students. A tradesperson reaching other tradespeople. A mum connecting with other mum’s in the schoolyard at pick up time. You carry influence and you have reach. The call is all around you, waiting to drink from the well with in you. You carry the answer – right now; in this season.
What are you waiting for?
Will you be obedient?
