Someone extremely wise once told me "you are called to something...small". We are all called according to the purposes in which Christ created us. Many of us, myself included, want those things to be glorious, wondrous, large, and to influence great numbers of people. That is how the world and how the human heart defines success. Fame, fortunate, notoriety. Here is the thing: we aren't promised those things. And time and time again scripture shows us people who achieved those things and failed miserably. Even those who at first were seeking God. This isn't to say there aren't wonderful people and figureheads to look up to or that God doesn't place people in larger spheres of influence. This is just to say, I am not convinced that this is something we should be aspiring to. The gospel influences lives in a vast number of ways and I do not wish to limit those to my narrow scope of life. However, if fame and fortune are the things our hearts most desires, I think that is mostly a desire for ourselves and to promote us, not the One who created us. If Moses, one of the biggest contenders in the Old Testament, had to be honed for 40 years in the desert before he could start his journey with the Israelites, then I am betting our journeys are going to look more like that rather than "insert famous insta-star or famous youtuber here". If we are called to something small, what is it that we are called to? It has been my experience that God wants you to start exactly where you are. Actively begin praying for the spheres of influence you are already in. Ask God to give you opportunities to have real and meaningful conversations with people he has placed in your life and to give you the courage and the wisdom to know when he is wanting you to speak up. I think so often I daydream about what I would do if I were more well-known. How I would influence people, what I would say, how I would be Uber-influential. But here's the extremely hard part.. am I doing those things now? Often the answer is no. Why would I think I would be any different with more power and more pressure to perform than I am right in this moment? If I don't intentionally live life in wherever it is that I am and don't practice doing so, I will not be equipped for anything "bigger" because I am not even equipped for the here and now. What about you? Are you like Moses being honed in the desert or are you starting your journey with the Israelites? Wherever you are in your journey, I hope and pray that you are able to see how God is molding and shaping you because you and I are called to something small.
"Come, I will send you to Pharoah that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." - Exodus 3:10
Until next time,
Karly
