Mind the Gap

Posted by on Friday, August 27, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

The common expression goes something like this: There is a Jesus-shaped hole in every heart. That hole – that “gap” – can only be filled with one thing. Complete dependance on the One who created us and gave us a purpose.

Easier said than lived when it comes to making major life decisions. In this whole transition process, we’ve been forced to reflect on our last four years and figure out our direction. The fact is, Dan could get a job anywhere. I could work full time and put the kids in a kiddie-kennel. We could make a lot of money and move to a house with fewer problems. We would be able to do more things on the weekends like go to the Please Touch Museum and go camping and visit Tim and Melissa. We could go to Disney World! But would we be happy. Doubtful. In fact, I am quite certain that we wouldn’t be. Because when it comes down to it, there is a specific call on our lives. How I wish God would have created us to be normal people who can get a job, make money, support others to go overseas and do good works. We could have our own personal ministry and be lights in a fallen world by working along side them, making money. But we cannot serve money and God.

The questions we need to answer became clear to me. I hope you can follow my train of thought.

1) What matters in life? What is the most important thing to us?
~Following God’s call on our lives. Living for Him. Readying ourselves for His return and spreading the good news of a Savior to a dying world.

2) What is the most important thing to God?
~ That we “love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength. And to love your neighbor as yourself.” Therefore, LOVE is what matters. According to Hebrews, JESUS is BETTER. 1 John 5 tells us that “his commandments are not burdensome.” So my fear of following a call that is perhaps against my flesh, should not hinder me. It will not be burdensome.

There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end, it only leads to death. Proverbs 14:12

Logic has no place in the call of God.

3) What did Jesus give us to do?
THE GREAT COMMISSION – Matthew 28:17-20

4) Could we be happy outside of full-time ministry? Not unless the Lord allows it. But to walk away from a specific and personal call from God is to throw yourself into the eye of the storm and perhaps find yourself a martyr to vanity. (Consider Jonah’s “death” in the belly of the fish.)

Before we went into youth ministry, we felt a tugging on our hearts for something bigger. Working for the King in the furtherance of His kingdom. We were looking for training, development, and mentoring for the next 2-3 yrs to prepare us for further ministry. It was suggested we go to Israel to see if God would lead there. Dan went and while he was in the Holy Land, God revealed the path that led to Dan’s stepping into youth ministry. We knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was our next step. We said that this would be a stepping stone. Youth ministry was not where we would end up. But it was a good place to start.
While youth ministry wasn’t what we expected, we learned a lot and trust in God’s faithfulness. In our hurt and confusion, we had lost sight of the vision God had given us. Now we are beginning to see that although God and His plan for us are perfect, His people – that includes us – are not. Nor are their ways. The pain was not from God; it was man that caused that. However, God, in His goodness, has used it to sanctify us and prepare us for the next step in our journey. Not unlike a potter who breaks down and chisels the rough edges before a masterpiece is revealed. 
So while we still don’t know where we are going, we are confident that He who has a purpose for us, will show us what we need to know when we need to know it. For now, we know the direction. And we will continue to walk in that direction until the next step is revealed. 

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