Lately the idea of feeling "called" has been tossed around a lot in conversations I've been involved in...
"Well, I know God is calling me to this because he wouldn't put this longing in my heart and not fulfill it."
"I'm going to do this (against all wise counsel) because it's what I feel called to do."
"We should help them because God called them to this."
I believe that God can guide us toward certain paths, but lately this phrase feels like a catch-all reason to do something that might not otherwise be prudent. Who can argue if it's God's calling?
I see a couple problems with this attitude. First, I know that God gives us longings that He doesn't fulfill. I know many people who are, just like me, experiencing this first hand. Women who long for husbands or like me, children. God may or may not fulfill those wishes, and if he does, it may not be right away. To say that the longing equates to a call is a big jump... one that can lead to taking our own steps to fulfill that desire outside of God's will (I can't help but think of Abram and Sarai who decided to use their own methods to fulfill God's promise to them). Second, I believe God calls each of us to use discernment in our choices and to look to others in community to guide us to His truth. It's hard to look at your own life with clarity and without bias. That's why He gave us each other.
Another concern I see is that in scripture callings usually involve someone waiting or doing something they would rather not, not necessarily God giving them exactly what they want as soon as they want it. Abraham and Sarah had to wait years beyond what anyone would have believed possible for God to grant their wish with the birth of Isaac. Noah had to build an ark while all his neighbors thought he was losing his mind. Jonah certainly wasn't jumping to head to Ninevah. No one was called to frolic in the flowers or spend money they didn't have to buy things they did not need. Callings in the Bible weren't all fun and games.
Maybe I'm being hard on people. I definitely don't have all the answers... I just know that what I'm hearing does not fit well with what I know of scripture. It does, however, fit well with our society's desire for immediate gratification.
And now I'll stop ranting... I've had my say :-)
Very well said. As you well note, calling in the Bible is almost always to a place of adversity (or at least to a place of hard work), and remarkably almost always something the "called" attempted to weasel out of. To use a "calling" as an excuse to avoid some undesirable circumstance or to justify some personal longing is pretty questionable - but as you also well note - tough to question.
ReplyDeleteYou rightly note that the place to discern calling is in community. In fact, in a previous generation people did not so much feel called to the ministry as did churches call out their members to the ministry - often to the surprise of the ones called. Something to think about.
Blessings my friend. We love you.