So, as I thought about this more, my thoughts flowed toward culture. I think the culture that we are called to, in our vocations, can become a concern. How does it effect what I do on a daily basis? Think about it, you spend a third of your life at work, if your just an 8 hour worker bee. That would include our commuting, assuming you have a 30-45 minute commute and time at work. So a third of your life that is immersed in a culture opposed, not fully but generally, to anything that is of faith. What do you do? How do you, say, become, counter intuitive in this? I can control what comes into my home and dictate what is done but at work it is different or is it?
See that is where the Scriptures come in and should inform us properly where to place our confidence. Think of what Paul says in 1 Cor. 7:17, "Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him." (emphasis mine) To break it down just a bit, Paul is addressing the Corinthians and, by extension us, about the importance of pure Marriage practices. So the point of concern is that the unbelieving spouse not be left by the believing spouse if they want to live peaceably. We come to v. 17 and he talks of this "call" that God has made. The greek word, kaleō, meaning to call, invite, name is the word used here. Why is this important, especially for you if/when you become dissatisfied with your job?
God did not expect them to leave just based on their emotional circumstances, their feelings. God is in control of all circumstances, He is not aloof or unconcerned about your circumstances, He is intimately involved in all of them. When I can realize that God has ordained this, that God has called me to this, then it allows me to operate in a different culture. I didn't just choose this job because it happen to fall in my lap, God is - by His Holy Spirit - creating in me a view of His character that will allow me to draw on the resources I have in Him. So when, Mr. X wants to yell and try to make my life miserable I can respond in fear, based on my own feelings or respond in faith of who God is but that character of God will not be built in us unless we see this overarching Sovereignty. That He is allowing this for my good and His glory and that eventually I will know the reason why it was allowed, although I won't know right now.
We would never want this, not ever. I had a conversation with my wife the other night, I'll admit it, at times, most of the time, I'm a glass is half empty kind of person. Well I said to her, "you know, if God, before we were born, would lay out all of the options before us, good and bad, that we would go through, I think I would look at the bad and say, 'NO WAY!'" Even if the good meant my life as it is, I have a great life with a beautiful wife and four awesome kids. That is just me, it is the way that I approach things for better or for worse. Sometimes I won't take the leap when I know that I should or think back to times when it didn't turn out so good, to shore up my good reasons not to do it. ;) But, that is not to undermine the "call", God uses even those times to show us more of himself.
I've had about 3 opportunities come at me over the last five years of different things I could possibly be doing but in each one they did not pick me. So, to say that, I just sit here, and happily be a dead log, that is wrong. I seek to know if God is calling me elsewhere without letting my feelings dictate that "call". You know, if you're a Christian and you go to church and suddenly you just feel "called" to go somewhere else? It's the "I feel called game" and boy can it be a roller coaster. Back to my point - God ordained feelings can lead us out of the place that we're at or God ordained meetings - but those can never just be based on the culture of fear or desiring a "better life" for the family and now you spend most of your time away trying to provide a better life. I don't call that life, I call that bondage.
So, let us seek to be a part of the culture of Christ and spread that aroma around as our call, from God, sets us apart to be the salt and light where we're at.
Your boasting friend,
Tim
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