You are still Called.
Broken Rising Blog | 002
By Gary Don
Despite what you may have been told or feel, you are still called.
Calling is a primary going concern for the Christ follower, and it should be. One can’t read the pages of the bible or kneel in prayer ourselves, and but sense that God Himself has let the echo of Heaven squeak through to our world and reach our ear, and be drawn to the One who calls us. If we’re walking with Jesus with any desire, we sense it and we know it. We certainly haven’t figured it all out, it may change from one season to the next, but it’s there. When our relationship with Jesus is healthy (not perfect) we all have a sense of God’s calling on our lives. God’s call obviously takes as many shapes and forms as there are people in the world, but everyone who is serving Jesus well feels it. The call of God, the echo of Heaven. Whether a pastor of the highest station of church influence, to the lay leader who makes the machinery of church happen week in and week out, to the old prayer warrior whose knees has worn out a spot on the floor – we all sense the call of our savior on our lives towards the purposes of the Heaven. We must never forget that the staff pastor and lay leader have a calling on their lives too, and that calling is as powerful, tangible and as valid as any senior leader. Senior leaders themselves can experience this attack on the call of God on their lives too, so pray for them, lift them up, have their back day to day, and cover them spiritually.
Spiritual abuse goes after the simple and universal fact that we are all called in Christ...
The call of God isn’t a matter of principles and procedures, it flows out of the love and relationship with the One who saved us. We follow the call of God because we are compelled by the love of God do so. Many of us know that the calling of God does not fit the wisdom or plans of man. The calling of God often doesn’t make logical sense, doesn’t make economic sense, doesn’t make sense in the estimation of those who look on at what we claim to be doing for God. But do it for God we must - because we have heard the echo of Heaven. And because God’s call is vitally and spiritually attached to who we are as children of God, the attack of an abusive spiritual leader ends up attacking who we are as believer in Christ, called in Christ. What is the result the enemy is going for? That we abandon the call of God on our lives. That we stop listening for the echo. That you stop paying attention to the compelled impression on your heart that the savior has a part for you to play in the healing of the world through your God given gifts, and your commitment to Jesus Himself.
Spiritual abuse goes after the simple and universal fact that we are all called in Christ, even the unsaved have a call of God on their lives, hidden by sin, the world’s trappings, and the devil, but it’s there from the moment of their conception none the less. Spiritual mistreatment causes us to consider that either we’re not called, or that we’ve messed up so much that our calling is now been rescinded by Heaven. If you have been spiritually and emotionally mistreated by a church leader know this: You are still called. As hard as it is, shut off the din and clatter of the words of discouragement spoken over you and listen for the echo, once again. Seek to get familiar with the voice of Heaven again. God is asking you to reject the idea that you are no longer called or marked for a purpose from Heaven. If your heart and mind is tired and confused about God’s call in a season of mistreatment by a church leader, let the encouragement of Peter’s inspired words rest on you: “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10.
Never forget, you are still called.
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