I was reading this book by Max Lucado in which he used the Lord's Prayer to introduce this interesting idea of the House of God. Different parts of the house represent the different aspects of the Christian faith.
One aspect of the House that still remains very strongly in my memory is the furnace. He used the idea of the furnace as God's purpose & calling for each individual. How do you know it's God's calling for you? The purpose will burn in you like nothing else. It's a passion that just comes from deep within your soul. He used his own example when he was not sure if he was truly called to be a pastor. His own pastor said, "don't preach unless you absolutely have to". He realized he had to, else the passion to preach will consume him like a fire.
I can totally attest to it. Research takes calling. I believe this is my calling, and really... I cannot think of doing anything else but research. And not just any research, but research in a very specific area. I read an advice on a forum once: "don't apply for PhD if you can think of something else you don't mind doing. Go do that something else." It's a fire from deep within and this passion will naturally radiates if you are doing it.
This is linked to what I have been reading about recently about Christian Hedonism. A pastor said, when he was young, he was often very confused, because people keep telling the youngsters to stop doing their will and do God's will. He was confused because, why can't it be both God's will and our will? It struck me because that has been my confusion. I believe it's my calling, so it's God's purpose for me. Yet I am so excited and determined to get there. So is it His purpose, or merely my own ambition?
God loves us all individually, and because of this love, He just wants us to do what is best for us. To do His way is actually to do what we are created for. Only by doing what our very personality, character, being is created to do can we find joy in work. So many people are doing things or in occupations that they totally detest for various reasons. If you are doing you are meant to do, that will be something you will be passionate about, and work won't be work. A colleague asked me, what about our free will? This is free will. To choose to do something you are not passionate about because you are not meant for that role, or choose to not be so stubborn (and stupid) and do what you are created for thus in the process finding great joy.
The sadness of pride. Out of pride, we often refuse to do what we know is good for us, and stubbornly insist that we know what is best. Even when circumstances prove us wrong, out of pride, we just clench our jaws and slog on this wrong path we have taken because to do otherwise is to admit we have been wrong. Oh... the joy and liberation we miss out, because of pride. The hurts, burdens and frustrations we face because of pride. The aches of the Father because of our pride. The sorrows as He see us stubborn children insisting on doing what is not the best for us. The desire to reach out to us even us we turn out backs on Him and refuse to even acknowledge His existence. Just imagine doing that to your own earthly parent, and imagine the hurt your mom or dad will feel. Multiply that many times and you may understand a little the sorrows of our heavenly Father.
One aspect of the House that still remains very strongly in my memory is the furnace. He used the idea of the furnace as God's purpose & calling for each individual. How do you know it's God's calling for you? The purpose will burn in you like nothing else. It's a passion that just comes from deep within your soul. He used his own example when he was not sure if he was truly called to be a pastor. His own pastor said, "don't preach unless you absolutely have to". He realized he had to, else the passion to preach will consume him like a fire.
I can totally attest to it. Research takes calling. I believe this is my calling, and really... I cannot think of doing anything else but research. And not just any research, but research in a very specific area. I read an advice on a forum once: "don't apply for PhD if you can think of something else you don't mind doing. Go do that something else." It's a fire from deep within and this passion will naturally radiates if you are doing it.
This is linked to what I have been reading about recently about Christian Hedonism. A pastor said, when he was young, he was often very confused, because people keep telling the youngsters to stop doing their will and do God's will. He was confused because, why can't it be both God's will and our will? It struck me because that has been my confusion. I believe it's my calling, so it's God's purpose for me. Yet I am so excited and determined to get there. So is it His purpose, or merely my own ambition?
God loves us all individually, and because of this love, He just wants us to do what is best for us. To do His way is actually to do what we are created for. Only by doing what our very personality, character, being is created to do can we find joy in work. So many people are doing things or in occupations that they totally detest for various reasons. If you are doing you are meant to do, that will be something you will be passionate about, and work won't be work. A colleague asked me, what about our free will? This is free will. To choose to do something you are not passionate about because you are not meant for that role, or choose to not be so stubborn (and stupid) and do what you are created for thus in the process finding great joy.
The sadness of pride. Out of pride, we often refuse to do what we know is good for us, and stubbornly insist that we know what is best. Even when circumstances prove us wrong, out of pride, we just clench our jaws and slog on this wrong path we have taken because to do otherwise is to admit we have been wrong. Oh... the joy and liberation we miss out, because of pride. The hurts, burdens and frustrations we face because of pride. The aches of the Father because of our pride. The sorrows as He see us stubborn children insisting on doing what is not the best for us. The desire to reach out to us even us we turn out backs on Him and refuse to even acknowledge His existence. Just imagine doing that to your own earthly parent, and imagine the hurt your mom or dad will feel. Multiply that many times and you may understand a little the sorrows of our heavenly Father.
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