I have recently read Becoming by Michelle Obama. Perhaps you received a copy for Christmas?
I was fascinated about her description of her dedicated and focused career plan which enabled her to become a high-flying lawyer in a Chicago law firm. She contrasted her single mindedness and determination in achieving her aims to her husband’s more wayward approach to building a career and constant seeking out of new experiences that fitted with his calling to public service. She finally concluded that the corporate lifestyle didn’t bring her happiness and she started out instead to find her purpose and calling in life.
I believe God calls each one of us to certain tasks. God equips each one of us with different gifts and skills. We are all made in God’s image, yet we are all unique. What is right for me may not be right for you. It can, however, be difficult discerning what God is truly calling us to. The outside world may pressure us to make certain decisions or perhaps the pressure comes from our families or from within ourselves. Yet wherever we work, whatever we do, we live as Christians in our workplace, our social lives, amongst our friends and in our families. We are always called to follow Jesus whatever our lifestyle.
Within the life of the church there are similar pressures on us to do things for God. We may feel a great burden to take on tasks because we are worried that no one else will do them? Or perhaps we feel that the clergy encourage us to take on jobs that don’t fit our skills? Or maybe there just aren’t very many people around and so we take on more and more jobs. The trouble is we can become stressed, resentful or over burdened and find all these responsibilities too much.
The Beaminster Team hopes to be a place where people can flourish and grow as humans. We hope that our churches are places where faith is nurtured, where people are supported, where vocations are discerned. We are certain that we all have our own talents and skills that can be used in God’s Kingdom. We are certain that through prayer, through listening to God and through talking to others we can all find our role, our part, our niche, our vocation for our lives.
Have a think about what you currently do to serve God. Do your roles bring you life, energise you and help you to flourish? Are you enjoying yourself? Are you learning new things? Do you feel supported and invested in? Do you feel that God is enabling you to do what he has called you to? If the answer is yes, fantastic. Keep on doing what you are doing and don’t forget to ask us for any support or help you might need.
However, if you review your tasks and think instead that you are bored, resentful, tired or fed up and that your skills and gifts are not being put to good use then perhaps it is time to pray, to chat with your friends and talk to the clergy. Perhaps it is time to think about what God is really calling you to? There are so many ways to serve God in formal and informal roles. There are so many ways we can help you identify and be released into your vocation. We would love to spend time chatting and praying with you to work out what your calling is and discover how you can be enabled in pursuing it.
With every blessing, Jo.