In December 2007 I came across the question, "If you look at your life 3 years down the road and nothing significant has changed, what do you least like about this picture?" I immediately knew the answer to this question. The scene that came to mind was stopping at the local gas station to pick up a cup of coffee before heading out to make afternoon visits on some of the elderly in our church. These were dear sweet people that I truly came to care about, but I knew that I couldn't keep on grabbing that coffee to stay awake in 80 degree apartments to hear the same stories (in many cases) that I had been hearing the past 5 years.
It was a surprising realization for me. It was a major part of my job description. These people deserved so much more. I had built good relationships with many of them, but I knew that it was time to quit. It was confirmation that God was calling me to something else, but what exactly would that look like? And would I dare to leave the security of my "job" to explore my "calling."
Last week I shared this story with people going through the process of developing a mission statement for their "second adulthood." I saw a look of surprise on one man's face. Later as he shared his mission statement he talked about his joy in leading worship services at retirement homes, his love for hearing their stories, and his desire to move into that ministry in great depth as he nears retirement. I understood his look of surprise. What I had lost my passion for, he was discovering was his area of passion in his "second adulthood."
It reminded me that we have to stop, listen to the Spirit and explore what God is calling us to in different seasons of life. God is continually creating us, reshaping us, transforming us into all God has created us to be. This is quite a journey. As soon as we figure we have learned all we need to know, and become all we need to be we are in dangerous territory. God has so much more purpose and meaning for us.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heaven.
What season are you in? What is your passion? And how is God calling you to live a life of greater purpose and joy?
It was a surprising realization for me. It was a major part of my job description. These people deserved so much more. I had built good relationships with many of them, but I knew that it was time to quit. It was confirmation that God was calling me to something else, but what exactly would that look like? And would I dare to leave the security of my "job" to explore my "calling."
Last week I shared this story with people going through the process of developing a mission statement for their "second adulthood." I saw a look of surprise on one man's face. Later as he shared his mission statement he talked about his joy in leading worship services at retirement homes, his love for hearing their stories, and his desire to move into that ministry in great depth as he nears retirement. I understood his look of surprise. What I had lost my passion for, he was discovering was his area of passion in his "second adulthood."
It reminded me that we have to stop, listen to the Spirit and explore what God is calling us to in different seasons of life. God is continually creating us, reshaping us, transforming us into all God has created us to be. This is quite a journey. As soon as we figure we have learned all we need to know, and become all we need to be we are in dangerous territory. God has so much more purpose and meaning for us.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heaven.
What season are you in? What is your passion? And how is God calling you to live a life of greater purpose and joy?
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