Many times, I see young Christians feel this pressure to do big things for God. They find out about the Great Commission, they read the book of Acts, and they hear about people in other parts of the world doing great things for God, and think, “To be a real Christian, I need to move to Africa and become an evangelist” or “I should be doing BIG exploits for God… and be doing them NOW!“. This youthful zeal oftentimes comes from a good heart, but it can drive us to get ahead of God, attempt to do things we don’t have grace to do, or (maybe the most unfortunate of all) steal our joy and peace from the present moment.
What’s the best way to honor God? I’ve found it to be this: learn to quiet yourself, hear His voice, and then do exactly what He tells you to do. In other words, build your relationship with the Living God and obey Him. That simple. The only “burden” on your life is doing what God tells you to do, when He tells you to do it, how He tells you to do it. Nothing more. Nothing less.
The weight of the world is not on your shoulders, its on God’s shoulders. Like the old song says, He’s got the whole world (and you) in His hands. Our job is simply to obey His voice and leading. Remember, on the great Day of His Judgement, we Christians, will be held accountable not for what we did, but what we were called to do. In other words, you are not called to run someone else’s race, you are called to run YOUR race.
That’s why learning to hear God’s voice is so important. What has He called you to do? Or even better, what has He called you to do now? Are you sensitive enough to discern the times? Are you willing to see the “writing on the wall”? Are you willing to submit yourself to seasons of waiting? Or will you try to beat down doors that God has closed? Will you try to flash fry what God has ordained to boil?
Let’s use my story as an example, God made it clear to me my calling was to preach and display Him to the world in 2005. Well… it’s been 13 years and counting.
I was called by God as a preacher, but I am currently in a DIFFERENT season. I call it “my season of business”. It’s a place I never thought I would be. From 23 to 31, I was in full-time ministry, and the gift to preach and pastor was evident. But around 31 years old I saw the “waters of His grace” start to recede. I saw the writing on the wall and sensed God might be doing something different. So I followed Him along this divine detour. He led me to a place I never thought I would be (nor did I ever want to be)— the business world. Every year or so, I’ve tested the waters, so to speak, to enter back to full-time preaching, but it’s been made clear to me the door is not yet open. At the same time, I’ve been given grace to be in the place I never thought I’d be—sales and the business world.
Some say to me, “Oh, you found your true calling. It’s in business.” No, I have simply been asked to be obedient to God. I’ve been asked to accept the truth that God’s ways are above my ways and that He knows the best way to get me to where I need to be.
The call on my life has not changed—the Lord has been sure to confirm this countless times—but I have been asked—like He has asked all of us—to lean not on my own understanding, but to trust in God with the process. To trust that He alone holds all wisdom, that He loves me, and that He knows the right way for me to go.
When we learn to hear His voice and develop the faith to obey Him “in season and out of season” (1 Tim 4:2), Jesus’ words in John 11:28-29 will start to make a lot more sense:
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (KJV)
Rest in your God. Be patient in Him, and you’ll come to understand the meaning of this Scripture, “to obey is better than sacrifice“.
