It’s both intriguing and discouraging to see how Christians, including myself, can become so preoccupied with “finding their calling” and “pursuing their purpose” that they forget their number one calling and purpose: to know and love God.
“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’” - John 21:15a (NLT)
I was re-reading Henri’ Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus for the fourth time (possibly the third - I’ve lost track) and this part on the calling of Peter in John 21 stood out to me. Referring to Jesus’ repeated question, “Do you love Me?” Nouwen ponders:
“The question is not: How many people take you seriously? How much are you going to accomplish? Can you show some results? But: Are you in love with Jesus? Perhaps another way of putting the question would be: Do you know the incarnate God?”
I’ve never thought about it before, but it is interesting that out of all the questions Jesus could have asked - knowing it was leading up to Peter being given his calling - He chose to ask, “Do you love Me?”
From our human perspective, some of the other questions Nouwen listed might be better suited for the occasion. That’s why I think so many of us, myself included, spend more time answering, focusing on, and working on those other questions and areas of our lives and ministries instead of focusing on and working on the primary question: Do we love Him? Do we even really know Him? Are we making efforts daily to get to know Him better?
Reflecting on this has caused me to remember a quote by Oswald Chambers that struck me like a lightning bolt when I read it a few months back:
“Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him. It is easier to serve than to pour out our lives completely for Him. The goal of the call of God is His satisfaction, not simply that we should do something for Him. We are not sent to do battle for God, but to be used by God in His battles. Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself?”
Nouwen’s quote, with Chambers’ quote in the back of my mind, was convicting to me because I still get caught up in “how well I’m doing” (or not doing) in my Christian life and whether or not I’m seeing any results from all my efforts.
I wonder if people are taking me seriously. I worry that I’m not accomplishing enough. I become frustrated when the results of my efforts don’t look as fruitful as I think they should.
But I don’t stop often enough to ask myself if I’m loving Him and getting to know Him as I should. Since my mind naturally gravitates toward results and the work I’m putting in while serving Him, I also naturally assume that’s what He’s most interested in, too.
But He’s not. He’s interested in my heart more than my hands. He wants me to spend time with Him, to learn to receive His love, and to learn to love Him in return. I remember a college professor saying something like it’s easier to be occupied for Christ than it is to be occupied with Christ. I agree, and I’m choosing the harder way. Join me?
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Hi! I'm Abigail, your real-talk Christian life coach and faith mentor. I believe we're on this earth for a reason, and I LOVE helping people realize and live that truth so that they can reach their God-given potential in all areas of life.
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