Once upon a time, the animals decided they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world. So they organized a school. They adopted an activity curriculum of running, climbing, swimming, and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all of the subjects.
Now, the duck, she was excellent in swimming. In fact, she was better than her instructor. But she made only passing grades in flying and she flunked running altogether. She was so bad at running, her instructors made her drop swimming and stay after school to practice running. This caused her web feet to be badly worn, so that she became only average in swimming. But average was quite acceptable, so nobody worried about that - except, of course, the duck.
The rabbit started at the top of his running class, but he developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because of so much make-up work in swimming. The squirrel was excellent in climbing, but she encountered constant frustration in flying class because her teacher made her start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. She developed charley horses from overexertion, and so she only got a C in climbing and a D in running. Now the eagle was a real problem child. He was constantly being disciplined for being a nonconformist. In climbing class, he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but he insisted on using his own way to get there.
Are you living outside of the purpose for your life that God intends? Are you trying to find fulfillment or even attempting to live for God in ways that only serve to deepen your frustration and sense of meaningless?
Many of us are doing what we do not so much ‘on purpose,’ but because our parents pressured us into a career, or necessity demanded we take a job we hate, or even because we somehow came to the conclusion that God wanted us there! All kinds of things - peer pressure, expectations, fear, and even pride - keep us from living as God intends. One of Satan's effective conspiracies to keep us from joy is to keep us from living on purpose!
- Has God called you to a quiet life of prayer? Then you will be miserable and ineffective if you attempt to become a director of a large ministry.
- Has God gifted you with compassion, causing you to desire to serve those who are needy and the oppressed? Then why are you trying to lead a Bible class?
- Has the Spirit given you insight into the Word so that you can help others understand His will? Then why are you focusing your time and energy on a ministry focused on raising funds for a missions outreach?
ALL of the ways of serving God just mentioned are good and worthy. But we are not all called to serve in each one of those good and worthy ministries! God has shaped you and me for a service where we will 'fit' and where we can find deep satisfaction in serving Him obediently. One of the reasons there are so many unhappy, unfulfilled, critical, and ineffective disciples is that they are serving in places to which they are not called, for which they are not equipped, while wearing a yoke that chafes and binds them. It takes a lot of courage to admit that to ourselves and others. If we begin to extricate ourselves from some service because we have come to realize that God has not called us to it, we will be judged!
Let me be clear about one thing! Even if we are in the center of God’s will, doing exactly what God has called us to be; we will work, sweat, feel fatigue, and get discouraged. Ministry is demanding. Just consider Paul’s life! Despite being at the center of the will of God, he went through hard times! He says, "I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches." (2 Corinthians 11:23-28, NLT)
So much for confusing ‘easy,’ with ‘called.’ There is a reason that Jesus invites us to put on the yoke! There is work to be done and a devil who does his best to frustrate God’s purposes being worked out in my life and yours. However, we can be sure of this: We will be renewed when we do what He is calling us and gifting us to do. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be right there alongside of us. He promised us that He would resource us, answer our prayers, and never leave us orphaned in this world.
Are you a duck trying to climb trees, or a rabbit trying to swim?
OR, are you right where God wants you to be, but attempting to live without relying on Him and the empowering Spirit?
Living 'on purpose' requires that we know the calling of God and that we remain reliant on Him.
Take this word from Jesus with you today and meditate on it:
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?
Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.
I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it.
Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill- fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11:28-30 The Message
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Jesus shall reign wherever the sun
Does its successive journeys run;
His kingdom spread from shore to shore,
'Til moons shall wax and wane no more.
Blessings abound wherever He reigns,
The prisoner leaps to loose His chains;
The weary come home and find their rest,
And all the sons of want are blessed.
People and realms from every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
Voices of children shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.
Let every creature rise and bring
Honor and praises to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeats a loud "Amen."
Jesus Shall Reign
Isaac Watts – public domain
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