Fulfilling Your Call

I recently visited an elderly friend in the Pacific Northwest. He had asked me to stop by so we could discuss his financial goals and do some appropriate planning.

In the course of our conversation, talk turned momentarily to his career, from which he had retired almost a decade ago. His eyes sparkled and his delightful Dutch accent fairly sang as he described his years as a mechanic on huge Caterpillar tractors used throughout the region.

"Is that why you have all those tool cabinets out in the garage?" I asked. "Yes," he smiled. His pleasure was so obvious that he reminded me of a small child just daring you to ask him what he's holding behind his back.

"What'll it cost me for you to give me a tour of your tools?" I baited him. "Nothing, as long as you stay with us for dinner," he returned.

For most of the next hour, he showed me the various tools of his trade. Tray after tray was pulled out, everything neatly in its place. His arsenal ranged from huge wrenches that could hardly be lifted without both hands to tiny dentist's tools that he modified to make it easier to get o-rings out of tight spots.

"You really enjoyed your work, didn't you!" I remarked, observing the obvious. "I most certainly did," he agreed. "Everyday, as I began my work, I thanked the Lord for letting me work on these Cats, and I asked Him to make me a blessing to the customers whose Cats I fixed."

"You know," he said wistfully. "I hope there are diesel Cats in heaven. I'd love to spend at least my first 14 years in heaven working on these things!"

How, as a way of worshiping with your life, can you find a fulfilling fit? There are many tools available to assist you in the adventure of self-discovery. Some target natural gifts, some spiritual gifts, others interest aptitudes and so on. Many are interesting and some can be helpful.

As helpful as these may be, you don't really need such tests. Why not? Some readers will be like my Dutch friend: No need. He just followed his interests, God opened the doors, and Henry never looked back.

His was the tack taken by men and women throughout the Bible, you may recall! Consider, for example, how well wired Nehemiah was for his role-not just in rebuilding the Jerusalem walls, but also in rebuilding the nation.

Another reason is that some people can get so compulsive about the process of discovering their gifts that they become disabled by "analysis paralysis." They're doomed to spend the next 30 years taking eleventy-seven tests to help them figure themselves out.

However, let me not leave you without any such guidelines. Taking a cue from Arthur Miller's System for Identifying Motivated Abilities, let me suggest the following:

• Think back to times of personal joy. What caused it?
• Think back to times of satisfying achievement. What did you do, and how did you go about doing it?
• Reflect on compliments you have received. What have others affirmed about you?
• Do more of it. "Just do it!"

At this point, you may start to look more at fulltime work in a church or parachurch ministry than at work in the secular arena. While this is laudable, and probably based upon the best of motivation, it may not be the place God wants YOU.

One is not spiritually superior to the other. Clearly from scripture, God wants His children to be salt and light. That is different than wanting all of us in what is popularly known as "fulltime Christian service." Nehemiah was a cupbearer, David was a king. Luke was a physician, Hannah was a homemaker. And the list goes on....

I have a number of friends in "the ministry" who I'd be very disappointed to see in secular employment. I have other friends, however, who fit into their marketplace so well that for them to leave it for "the ministry" would be a significant loss to both arenas.

You may discover, however, that you are nevertheless engaged in a non-fitting job. Should you quit? Possibly, but don't leap prematurely. You could be jumping from the proverbial frying pan into the fire.

Consider expanding avocationally. It will give you the luxury of exploring options without sacrificing needed finances carelessly.

Is your job dull? Maybe that's just the job you need, because it gives you mental and emotional energy to invest in a church or parachurch ministry that you find is a good fit.

The lifestyle worship of Romans 12 is analogous to the Old Testament "wave offering." (Yes, they did have "The Wave" back in those days also!) This offering was waved before the Lord, presented to Him as a gift. It was then used for God's work and God's workers rather than consumed by fire.

Likewise, our lives are presented to the Lord as an offering. He returns them to us to invest in our "reasonable service of worship." Who you are is God's gift to you.

Who you become is your gift to God. Have you made your life-all that you are, all that you have and all that you will become-a wave offering to Jehovah?

© 2007 John Garmo. If you would be interested in using this article, please contact us at Info@MissionToChildren.org.