Staying

Sometimes, it's almost easier to be called to go than stay.

When God awakens us to His kingdom purposes, we often immediately assume that He wants us "over there". We start wondering what country or people group He is sending us to and start mapping out the route.

But if it becomes clear that His purposes for us involve staying, things can get a little murky. In our selfish humanity we sometimes start thinking that He must have something BIG for us. Maybe He wants us to give up our job and focus on full-time ministry, or maybe He'll call us to start a major new work. Surely He intends us to give up something major in exchange for letting us stay here. In many ways, we turn it around to us - as usual.

We often miss the calling right before our eyes - the one that brings our gifts and passions together for His glory. The one that doesn't feel like we're giving up a thing. This is the calling that we almost feel guilty for having. Surely, we think, it can't be as spiritual to be a professor or a city clerk or a computer technician or an administrative assistant or a caregiver for an elderly parent as it is to be a field worker in some exotic land.

But the fact is, God has His people everywhere. When we automatically assume we must give up anything "non-spiritual", we remove ourselves from an entire field. We miss the ministry of tentmaking, the dialogue in the market, where the rubber meets the road.

Bill & Amy Stearns point this out well in 2020 Vision, explaining how we can find our "niche" in God's kingdom purpose. One of their key points is that we discover a place where we find "I'm virtually designed to minister among these people." God aligns our passions, gifts, and the need in unique ways. And He doesn't always send us overseas to do it.

What we have to get our minds wrapped around is that we are ALL on mission with God. That's why I've changed the purpose of this blog - my heart is to minister to Kingdom workers, but also to awaken the church to realize that our job is for everyone to be Kingdom workers! As I love to tell our women's group -when someone "goes" we are all going with her ... she just happens to be the feet.

Sure, we are still called to sacrifice. If we stay, we should give sacrificially to those who go. But we also should see that our place in the Kingdom doesn't start and end with that check. Our place in God's kingdom purpose involves every interest, activity, job, errand, hobby, and sphere of influence in our lives. In God's economy, nothing is wasted. To truly be on mission with God, we should maximum everything in our lives for His glory and His kingdom purpose. Our morning quiet time, the day at the office, the lunch trip to our favorite restaurant, the kids' soccer game, the prayer meeting at the church, and our evening perusal of the newspaper should all reflect our focus on God's big-picture purpose to glorify His name and magnify His grace.

It can be hard to go. It can be harder to stay. But wherever we are, our passion can be for His glory. And our heart can beat for His purposes.