It has taken me a long time to realize that when Rick Warren penned the words, “It’s not about you”, he meant it. I remember reading that first line in the book, The Purpose Driven Life, and thinking to myself, “dang…you’re right…it’s not about me!” Ironically enough, it was also the line that got me off my bed, convinced me that I should get on the bus that was leaving the next morning, and that I should use those Urbana tickets that I had purchased almost a year before. It was also months before I picked the book up again to actually finish it.
Low and behold, years later and I sometimes find myself struggling with God, and specifically struggling with idolatry of the role I have in life. You see, scripture is very clear that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11 is the often cited “for I know the plans I have for you…”). I loved that truth. I loved it even more when I became convinced that the “purpose” God had for me had something to do with missions or being a missionary. For one, I loved to travel and there was a rather natural feeling that I got when I was overseas. God used me to do great things for people. And then, if I’m honest, the other reason had to do with me somehow relating this job…this role as a missionary…to being the highest degree of spirituality that one could attain. I mean, if I was a missionary and if others knew that I was a missionary…then clearly, People would see me as the big deal that I think I am.
Maybe I’m not the only one. Maybe for some it is being a young life leader or becoming a pastor or being one of the lay leaders in church that takes a more prominent role. Several of us, I’m sure, struggle with idolizing the roles or jobs we have because of how awesome they will make us…especially in the eyes of those around us. We want all eyes and applause on us. We get highs off it, we feel better because of it, and we want more of it. Or maybe we just think, “if only I was this missionary/pastor/leader then others would take me seriously, they would see my walk with God and they would think I was a strong and devoted Christian”.
God certainly has incredible plans for our lives. But we are selling ourselves short if we think that those plans are all about us…if we think that a calling to missions or ministry is about us and what others will think of us as a result. We are spitting in the face of God’s purpose here on earth if we think that the roles we play are the big deal. Sure, we should seek God’s purpose for our lives and we should walk in obedience with him…I’m not saying that’s not important. BUT let us not be fooled, our identity is only found in Him, not the job we have or the degrees we earn…it is in Him. Any role or position that he may call us to, no matter how glorified by a subculture that it might be…that role and what God does with us and with the role/position that He’s called us to is all for Him. His Glory. All eyes and applause go to Him.
Isaiah 64:8 states:
“But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay and you are the potter.”
Think of that scripture in Isaiah 64. What person looks at Michelangelo’s David or Rodin’s Le Penseur (“The Thinker”) and praises or worships the marble rock that was used to form it? NO ONE…We think of the creator/artists and praise them for their masterpieces…and in some cases marvel at what beautiful things were created out of otherwise purposeless rock.
We are that clay…that rock…and we are fools to think that in the end, people will look at the completed product of our life and praise us. We should only hope that people would look back at us and the short time we spent on this earth and see His Fingerprints all over us and the things we touched…we should hope that our lives would draw the focus off of us and onto Him.
The implications here are major. Several of us are operating in the place and position that we love. Before pride kicks in and temps us to make it an ego boosting reality for ourselves, we need to always remember that all that we do and all that we are is for His Glory. It’s not the applause of man or the admiration of those we’re leading…it’s All For Him.
For those of us wanting and waiting to be somewhere other than here, today the message is still the same. Perhaps we are wanting that call to missions or we are wishing support raising would go a little faster (or that we could simply bypass that step), because we know in our heart of hearts that God is taking us there…well, remember that for today, He has you here. Wherever here might be for you: your house, being the nanny for a difficult family, sitting in a cube doing a job you rarely like for 8 hours a day. God has called us to these places for today…For His Glory. Glorifying Him doesn’t start when you get there…it’s also a reality for the time spent here…today.
There is purpose and power in wherever you find yourself today…allow yourself to rest and find joy in that place…and let God be glorified. Be fully present, regardless of where he has called you to stand, sit, kneel, or work today. Ask for guidance and an understanding of the purpose he has, especially if the place is less than easy to rest in. Trust me…there is purpose in today…and God can use you immensely…even if you think your heart and mind would rather be somewhere else.
a heart set on pilgrimage 