Called to Serve- but not exactly gifted. (PART 2)

This is a continuation of the things I have learned in being called to serve, but not exactly gifted.

You can read the previous post here--> http://hannahstaggs.blogspot.com/2016/04/called-to-serve-but-not-exactly-gifted.html

5. Study. Observe. Connect.

It is our responsibility & privilege really to study, observe, & connect. Study God's word. Seek God in prayer. Read books. Read blogs. Be committed to passionately pursue God's heart. Be committed to passionately pursue knowledge, wisdom, etc in whatever field He has called you to. With the advances in technology in this day & age, there is no excuse. Personally, Pinterest has been such a helpful tool for me to gain ideas & wisdom. If we can spend hours on social media or infront of the TV, we can spend hours seeking meaningful insight. Research. Educate yourself. Believe it or not, God has called others to the same or similar field that He has called you to. Many of who will also say in the beginning they too were not "gifted". There is so much we can learn from those who have been there & done that. Observe the ministries that God has entrusted to others. Connect with them. There are other believers who share similar passions & calls. You are not alone. 

6. Not everyone is going to encourage you.

In fact some WILL discourage you, especially if your gifts are not on display. People (including yourself) may question, doubt, this or that. Church members, family, friends, etc- not all of them are truly going to be beside you. But take heart. While the enemy is using some to discourage you, God is using others to encourage you. Personally, I have been so blessed to have a few believers who have spoken life over me in this season, pray over me, continue to stand beside me, & build me up in ministry. What a difference it can make. Stay alert. Walk in discernment. Do not take the bait. The enemy WILL use anything he can as a means to create fear, hurt, & doubt in your heart. Do not ponder on words spoken or deeds done void of God's leading & spirit. Take every word & deed to the feet of Christ. Keep what needs to be kept & burn what needs to be burned. Let it go. Hold those encouragers close & demand Satan to get behind you. Stay humble before God & never forget to filter everything through His word, His spirit, & His truth. The enemy is relentless. That jerk. If he is not going to use people he will use fear, lies, distractions, your own flesh, weariness, sickness, ANYTHING he can to keep you from intimacy with God & serving as He has called you to. 

7. This is more than a hobby. 

I don't say this to make things heavy, but I must be honest. A call from God is not just a hobby. Whether you are gifted or not. Whether you feel passionate about it right now or not- You need to take it seriously at all times. Beloved, this is much more than a hobby or just something to do. You are His vessel. You are His witness. You are His partner. He has invited you to be apart of the greatest work on earth. Act like it. Treat it as such. God wants your heart. Your affections. Your hands. Your feet. No matter what gift you lack, He wants to use you for mighty things. Go above & beyond through His power & strength. Don't flake off when the excitement wares off or the journey gets rough. This is a matter of eternal impact. If you're not going to give God's call your all, don't give it anything at all. 

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as tot he Lord, & not to men." Colossians 3:23

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." Ecclesiastes 9:10 

8. Remember Mary & Martha. 

Giving God your all doesn't always mean running around the house like Martha did. Yes, there is a time to use our hands, our mouths, or whatever else. But our hearts must always be at the feet of Christ- adoring him. It does not seem that Mary was rebuked for simply working but rather because she was "troubled about many things". Serving can come from a peaceful heart & attitude or it can come from a stressed heart & attitude. We cannot serve with a peaceful heart & attitude without sitting before the Prince of Peace. We must never forget WHO & WHAT this is really about. If all of the little details do not come together- it is okay. If we are not serving from an overflow of intimacy & prayer in our personal lives- then we shouldn't be serving at all. If you are not connected to God how are you going to minister to others? If you are not building a ministry on prayer then what's the point? Burn outs do not have to happen. Even the most gifted WILL burn out if they are not abiding in the Holy Spirit & the spirit abiding in them. Rest when you need to rest. 

• Luke 10:38-42

We need God & His spirit more than we need gifts, talents, or abilities. He will develop within you what needs to be developed. You are not supposed to be able to accomplish this through your own gifts & abilities. Stay focused on Him & you will thrive in whatever His plans are for you. 
On this subject, you may also enjoy--> http://hannahstaggs.blogspot.com/2016/02/laborers-together-with-god.html 

Called to Serve- but not exactly gifted. (PART 1)

Oh yes. I have experienced the "Oh my". The "you've got to be joking". The "are you sure God?". And the "Oh God help me" that comes with being called to serve in ways & places that are most definitely not your expertise or gift. Within the last 4 years God has clearly called me to both foreign missions ministry & hospitality. Hospitable is not a word people would use to describe me- in all honesty. And missions ministry? Let's not even go there. AHA! 

As someone with a stronger personality (INTJ) & one who is not gifted in these areas, I have found this journey quite a challenge as well as a complete thrill. The Father is so faithful. Maybe you are also experiencing that "are you sure God?" season. Here are a few things I have learned thus far. 

1. When we "lack", we rely on God. 

The Israelites knew this all too well. In the wilderness they were more eager to seek God. In captivity they were more aware of their need to lean on God. In comfort & prosperity-- not so much. When we don't have what it takes, we go to the One who does. I have mentioned this before in a previous post, but I believe it is so important to understand- God will never call you to do anything or go anywhere that leaves you anything less than desperate for Him. If you find yourself desperate for Him & His strength, abilities, wisdom, etc you are in the safest place to be. The core of God's heart is to be close to His creation. Whatever stands in the way, whatever is a distraction, whatever shifts our dependence, focus, loyalty, hearts, etc needs to be taken out of the way. If your gifts are not adding up, rejoice all the more. When you lack, thank the Lord! Look to Him!

• Deuteronomy 8 & 9.
• "Go & cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown." Jeremiah 2:2

2. It's not all about our gifts. 

Yes. Gifts ARE important. They must be used (& they will be), but they are not everything. Our gifts can even get in the way if we are not careful. We can center our identity, security, reputation, etc on that gift & suddenly our egos get in the way & may even blind us from areas that need growth. It's not about comparing our gifts to another's lack. It's not about showcasing our gifts. It's not about finding confidence in our gifts. It's about finding confidence in the giver of those gifts & using them for His glory alone.

"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12

2. God teaches his servants.

This is specifically for us younger ones. Recently called? Newly involved in the ministry? Take heart. The disciples didn't just "get it" as soon as they were invited to come & follow Christ. Christ taught them. Disciples are students before teachers. The disciples were constantly going to Christ for instruction. They were eager to learn. Eager to discover. Eager to serve. This takes time. Thinking & walking like Christ does NOT happen overnight. Sanctification is a process. Let yourself learn. Let yourself grow. And be eager to serve in the midst of it, even in your lack. It is very possible that God will develop that lack into a gift. Ask anyone who has been serving for 20 plus years & you will find they too are still learning. They too lack. They too rely on God. Christ continually directed the disciples ears, eyes, & affections towards the Father. The spirit of God is the source for all fruitful service.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

3. The heart is everything. 

This could stand on its own as a separate post. Perspective, attitude, & motives matter. If we have all of the gifts, but we don't use them from a heart of love & service- What's the point? In the eyes of the world we may be climbing the latter of success, but in God's eyes we are falling to destruction. Do I like people in my space often? No. Am I a social butterfly? No. Do I want to leave the comforts of America? No. The list could go on. But something extraordinary happens when the heart of man is aligned with the heart of God. Our perspectives shift. Our priorities change. Our desires become His. & oh my goodness what intimacy & unity you will experience in his presence when this takes place! When you become a true disciple- you need to take a back seat. It's not about "me time" or the comforts of my country. It's about HIS kingdom. HIS fame. HIS glory. HIS plan. HIS desires. HIS heart. You will take joy in what you once loathed. You will pursue what you once ran from. You will see what you were once blind to. You will seek that which you once feared. You will take delight in what once drained you. It is not important that people see our hearts. It is important that people see HIS. Humility & willingness are so key in this thing. When we realize that we are nothing without him- then, we become mighty vessels used for his glory. I have strengths for sure, but more so I need God to shine through my weaknesses. That is when people see Him & He is all that needs to be seen. That is when His word truly comes alive. When we humbly sit before the feet of Christ with willing hearts- every gift we lack will no more factor in & no passion or ambition we clung to prior can compare to the zeal that will be poured upon us as He shares the desires of His heart with us. 

"Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2 

"The heart is deceitful above all things, & desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, & according to the fruit of his doings." Jeremiah 17:9-10

Applying Our Lives to Scripture

I'm sure this post is not for everyone nor will everyone agree. I write this for the few who God has intended to challenge & encourage. 

They say that we are to apply the word of God to our lives. Any believer would respond with- of course! But did you ever think that maybe we are missing something? I have. And I've searched here & there in different religious circles looking for another who would also see- and it's usually not a welcoming conversation or perspective among other believers. 

     A few weeks ago I came across some words from A.W. Tozer that encouraged & challenged my soul like you would not believe. Someone else was onto what I saw way before I had every looked a little closer. Here is what he wrote..."The deeper life must be understood to mean a life in the Spirit far in advance of the average & nearer to the New Testament norm. I do not know that the term is the best that could be chosen, but for want of a better one we shall continue to employ it. There are many scriptural phrases that embody the meaning we are attempting to convey, but these have been interpreted downward & equated with the spiritual mediocrity now current. The consequence is that when they are used by the average Bible teacher today, they do not mean what they meant when they were first used by the inspired writers. This is the penalty we pay for making the Word of God conform to our experience instead of bringing our experience up to the Word of God. When high spiritual terms are used to describe low spiritual living, then other & more definitive terms are needed..." 

     I have often wondered why we apply such great & mighty biblical truths to our mediocre Christian lives. Honestly, it has baffled my mind. Shouldn't our mediocre Christian living be rising up to these mighty biblical truths instead? I have often wondered why we take biblical truths & fit them into our lives wherever & however we can fit them instead of conforming our lives around that truth or rising up to it. When we apply scripture to our lives, our lives are usually not doing the changing or conforming- it's scripture that's changing & conforming. We used to preach the Kingdom of God is at hand. We used to preach all is vanity. We used to preach welcome the stranger in your land. We used to preach to live is Christ & to die is gain. But somewhere down the road our feelings & sin splattered hearts got in the way & now we preach those truths only incorporating whatever culturally acceptable & comfortable "adjustments" we can afford to fit in our lives without being perceived as holier than thou or too serious, & in turn- we really don't believe the precious truths the saints before us clung to so tightly nor do we understand the original depth of those truths- we only know what we want them to mean to us. We apply such powerful & bizarre biblical truth to such dead & average living. Don't you find this interesting? 

     We have lost so much in the process. (I say this in an extreme manner to make a point). But when you start applying your life to the scriptures, when your experiences start rising to that of those in the scriptures- Beloved, you are in for the craziest journey you have ever & will ever embark on. Get ready to die. Get ready to walk alone. Get ready to see more than you want to see. Get ready to find yourself on the outside. Get ready to be frustrated as you can't seem to find fulfillment or satisfaction in what people are taking pleasure in all around you. Get ready for a great perspective shift. Get ready for brand new priorities. Get ready for unshakable passion. Get ready for enduring purpose. Get ready for ambitions that will exceed your wildest imagination. Get ready to be introduced to the heart & plans of God. Get ready to come face to face with reality. Get ready for the Word of God to come alive like it has not ever done so before. Your walk with God- your life, it will change & it will do so for the better. In fact the truths that you apply & hold fast to now will become all the more precious. Beloved- this is in no way an easy journey especially in today's society, but you will never want to turn back. We all need His spirit. His guidance. His grace. His strength. His wisdom. 

     Don't be afraid to seek more than what is the norm & don't quit because of your own shortcomings or the disconnect of those around you. You will not be sorry. God is wanting to take his bride farther & deeper, but he is waiting for her to lay her life down & rise to the heights His heart expresses in His word- the original heights. Greater devotion. Greater love. Greater pursuits. Greater experiences. Greater service. Greater living. Let our hearts & lives be applied & conformed to His magnificent truth. Let us rise. 

Laborers Together With God

It's such a wonderful gift to be a Child of God. To be His bride. To be His friend. 

But how wonderful it is to also be a laborer with God. To our ears it might not sound as "glorious" as the previous relations I mentioned, but to the one walking in the spirit- it's a joyous & humbling truth. 

 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." 1 Corinthians 3:9

A laborer is traditionally defined in most dictionaries as someone who does work that requires physical strength rather than skill or training. 

When I read the definition I could't help but smile & shake my head. Isn't it so true Beloved!? Just as a farmer relies more on his physical strength to accomplish his work, so do we in a sense. Laborers with God rely more on spiritual strength (strength from God) than anything else to accomplish the work before them. The farmer is obviously skilled & trained in his area of work, but that is NOT what he relies on. Skill & training is not much help if he has a broken leg. He needs that physical strength. Skill & training is not much help if you're in a complacent walk with God. We need that spiritual strength. We need to depend on Him. We need that intimacy with the Father. We need that extra "oompf" if you will. Passion, endurance, strength, love, perspective, purpose, etc- it is all from Him & for Him. With God we walk so that with God we can work. I have not found it possible to walk this straight & narrow relying on my own strength or abilities, let alone do any kind of fruitful lasting work for God's kingdom through my own strength or abilities. 

Do you have a degree? Do you have talents? Good people skills? Are you a hard worker? All are great & useful but I could ask it all & we'd still miss the point. The real question is, are you laboring through the strength & power of God? Are you walking with Him? Are you laboring with God at all? What are you relying on today? 

Many have walked laboring with God. Moses was one of these laborers. He was not skilled. He was not eloquent. He had no experience leading a people. It did not matter. God chose him. God taught him. God worked through him. God went before Him. Peter was one of these laborers. He was not skilled. He was a fisherman. He had no experience as a disciple. It did not matter. Christ chose him. Christ taught him. Christ worked through him. Christ went before him. 

Beloved, God is not looking for the skilled. God is looking for the willing. He will strengthen, teach, guide, & reward His laborers. God is using the ones who refuse to search for confidence & ability in anyone or anything apart from Him. Be careful judging yourself or others. God will use whom he pleases & who are we to be used by Him? We get the opportunity to be a part of the most important work on this earth. What a privilege. Don't walk through this life without ever embarking on the journey to labor with God. It's hard work. It's all-consuming work. It's not always "fast" work, but it's always work that will have a lasting impact for all eternity... And what better work to be a part of than that! Be encouraged in the strength of God weary & unskilled laborer. Be challenged in the call of God you who are complacent or self-reliant. God wants YOU laboring with Him & He wants to show you what a incomparable journey it will be. Don't miss out. We are laborers together. 

• 1 Corinthians 3:5-15

Feelings & Truth

“We shall never get anywhere if we depend upon our feelings. There is something a thousand times better than feelings, & it is the naked Word of God.” –Smith Wigglesworth

Feelings (or emotions) - they’re crazy little things. Powerful. Swaying. Consuming. Search God’s word & you will not find one who did not have feelings. God himself has feelings – deeper feelings than any of us can comprehend. Feelings are not wrong. They become wrong when they lead us to believe lies. Feelings are to be indicators- not dictators. There’s countless lies our feelings want us to follow. Here are 3 that were heavy on my heart as I was preparing this blog.

1.   God won’t forgive me/doesn’t love me.

I think most of us at some point have felt this & believed it. I know I have. We think- I’ve made too many wrong decisions. I’ve already messed up my life. It’s too late. God can’t forgive me. He doesn’t love me. Can I just cut to the chase? That is a lie from hell. Yes, you may have made some wrong decisions. Your life may be a mess. It’s okay to look at your life & experience a feeling of “what have I done!?” In fact, your heart couldn’t be in a better place at that point. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Your feelings are indicating that there is indeed a problem, a disconnect, a void that needs to be filled. God uses such emotions to draw you to himself, to let you know that you need him, & that He WANTS you. But feelings that lead you to believe that God will not or cannot forgive you & does not love you… those feelings are leading you to believe a lie.

Will we get anywhere depending on these feelings? No. We will stay in bondage to lies. Oh if we could only recognize the depth of God’s love for us! The love that God holds in His heart for you truly goes beyond word’s description & the mind’s comprehension. There is not a single soul on this earth that will ever desire your heart like the heavenly Father does. Every single day He longs to be close to His creation, close to you.  

Oh if we could only take hold of the power of the cross - the power of the precious blood of Jesus! Christ never came for the righteous, He shed his blood for the sinner (Luke 5:32). My friend, God is READY & more than able to forgive you. Oh he is so eager for you to come before Him & leave your burdens & bondage at His feet. He wants to give you life.

“But God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:8-10

“For by grace are ye saved through faith & that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

2.            God isn’t near to me.

Oh yes. I myself have felt this WAY too many times. Life gets crazy. Hearts get broken. Things happen. Obstacles arise. Our time in prayer & God’s word is dry & dead. He doesn’t seem to be doing anything. He doesn’t seem to be listening to any of our prayers. He doesn’t seem to be helping us with anything. Etc, etc, etc. We can even become angry at God in our lack of understanding, hurt, impatience, etc. It is a very dangerous thing to base God’s faithfulness & presence on what we see or do not see around us. Something happens or does not happen & all of the sudden God is not near to us or does not care. We don’t feel that wave of “good emotions” in our time with God & all of the sudden He is not near to us. Beloved, GOD IS NEAR TO YOU. Not because I said so. Not because you feel like it. Because God says so. His word tells you repeatedly of His faithfulness. He has never lied & He is not going to start.

We may feel He is not near because we are not DILIGENTLY seeking Him. Maybe we are walking in disobedience to His will. Maybe we are facing tragedy. Maybe we are being tested. Maybe God is trying to help us grow in faith but we just want it easy. When God feels distant we must first examine our own hearts before placing blame on God. There are times we feel Him near & there are times we do not. I have made up my mind to seek God whether I feel Him near or not. I will seek until I find. I will knock until He answers. No matter where I am at in this life or how I am feeling, He is near. This is the truth we must depend on. Beloved, He can’t stay away from you. He is near in every season.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray to the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” John 14:15-16

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18

“The LORD is good to them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh him.” Lamentations 3:25

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that HE is, & that He is a rewarder of them that seek Him diligently.” Hebrews 11:6

3.            I can’t do what God has called me to do.

As someone who has a specific call on her life, I understand what it is like to feel completely unworthy & inadequate, & to be seen by others as such. The pressure is real. The road is lonely.

This lie annoys me to no end. When we rely more on the approval of man & our own abilities than the simple words & truth of God, we will never find the boldness that lasts to rise to His call. Is not the God who called you the same God who will equip you? God takes shepherd boys & makes them great kings. God takes fishermen & makes them disciples. God takes relentless persecutors & makes them zealous apostles. The list goes on. Please do not limit God. And please forgive those in the body of Christ who try to.

Beloved, it’s not your degree. It’s not your personality. It’s not your talents. It’s not your experiences. It’s not your accomplishments. It’s not what other people think. It’s not your feelings. Though God can & will use all- it is only by His spirit. His grace, power, strength, etc that you will fulfill this call. I always like to remind myself of this- God will never call you to do anything or go anywhere that leaves you anything less than desperate for Him. So are you desperate for Him? Do you find your own strength & abilities are not enough? Are you not looking the part? You’re so blessed. Welcome to what it REALLY looks like to be walking in a call from God. He will guide you in His wisdom & give you renewed perspective as you walk with Him. Choosing you as His vessel was no mistake. When you don’t look the part God gets all the more glory & you are all the more reliant on Him. It’s such a beautiful thing. Embrace it with passion & thankfulness. Keep pressing on. He goes before you.

The spirit of the Lord is upon me because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, & recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” John 4:18

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: & His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly that they all, yet not I but the grace of God which was with me.”  1 Corinthians 15:10

“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

What are your feelings leading you to believe today? Who is holding the power in your life? God’s truth or changing emotions? What are you depending on today? If you don’t feel God, if you don’t feel His love- cast that care before Him. He will answer. He wants you to feel his love & closeness, but He also wants you to depend & trust in Him. There is an ABUNDANCE of truth found in fellowship with God & His word. Truth you can depend on even when you don’t feel like it. I strongly encourage you to seek this truth out beyond the few scriptures I have shared & allow God to plant truth into your heart that will stay rooted throughout the ups & downs of life. It's not always easy, but it's always worth the pursuit. Don’t let lies rob & deceive you.