Have you ever felt like working in “Christian ministry” or volunteering as a full-time missionary is the absolute best way you can serve God? Have you ever felt bad for not wanting to do either of those things? Maybe you are working in these areas but are feeling exhausted and burnt out. Don’t worry, you are not alone!
All my life Christian culture has fed me a steady diet of ‘you can make a difference’, ‘you were born to change the world’ and, ‘you can accomplish so much for God’.
None of which are inherently bad, but all of which led me to believe that a life lived for God, was a life well lived.
As I was finishing high school, it was not uncommon amongst my Christian friends to find ourselves discussing which job profession would ‘make the most difference’. “Should I study law or go to Bible college?” “Should I become a nurse or should I join missions?” “Perhaps I should study nursing and then go and serve in underprivileged countries.” Often, we feel like we have to give up our dreams, sacrificing our preferences in order to fully serve God.
But, what if ‘living for God’ is not the ultimate goal?
We have made our aim in life to live for God, rather than God Himself. We pull our hair out deciding where we should serve to be most effective for God. We work ourselves to burn out trying to make a difference at our own expense. We forgo our health, our relationships, our sanity because we feel the need to ‘just keep serving’, all the while God is standing on the sideline, waving His arms and trying to draw our attention back to Him.
So, if we are not made to live for God, what are we made for?
What if, rather than working our butts off to serve God, we aim to live a life with God.
A life with God is not merely going to church on Sunday and waiting around until death so that we can be united with Him. No, it is much more than that! We have the opportunity to know God intimately, now. No more waiting around. We can live a life of peace, a life of joy, a life of hope, now. And we can share that same life with those around us.
How much greater is it to go about our daily routines, at school, working as a check-out chick or serving at our church, with God. Invite Him into the little, seemingly insignificant moments of your day. Ask Him what He thinks of the lonely girl in the back of the classroom, the homeless man on the street or your Uber driver on the way to that party. And then tell them. Tell them what God says and watch as He begins to move.
I want to live a life that isn’t using God to gain a sense of purpose and direction for myself.
Rather, I want to live a prayerful life, listening as He speaks to me about situations I may find myself in and being willing to step out in faith when He points out a friend, family member or stranger who He wants to talk to. Maybe this is exactly what Jesus meant in John 14 when he said, “Abide in me and I will abide in you.”
Will you join me on this journey as I learn to stop doing all I can to serve God and start doing all I can to experience the greatest treasure there is, God himself?
by Kali Wratten
YWAM Newcastle Communication Staff
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