Why?

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! This one is going to be a good one...you can feel the opportunity in this new day! :)

Earlier this week I read this quote:

"Some wake up to an alarm clock. Some wake up to a calling." - Unknown

What do you and I wake up to?

I have thought about that quote soooooo many times this week! It was a sweet, gentle reminder that this is not all about our vocations but rather about our purposes. Our vocations are simply what we do, our purposes are who we are. Our vocations are simply another opportunity to live out our calling. One day we may retire from our jobs, we will never retire from our calling. At your job you have a boss...with your calling, God is your boss - think about that one! :)

There are so many things I want to say, so many things that I want to share! Ultimately, at the end of the day, my sole hope is that you and I will pursue the calling that we have on our lives. That we will make the decision to 1) learn and understand what the purpose of our lives are if we don't already know and, 2) that we will give ourselves tirelessly to our calling until the moment we breathe our last breath.

Let me share some thoughts, scriptures and quotes...I will let God and the great gift He has for us, the Holy Spirit, work the rest out! :)

First, I want to share Romans 12: 6 - 8.

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."

See, here is the deal; I know you have gifts and that they are to be used to fulfill a purpose, your calling. How do I know? The Bible tells me that each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made, created on purpose for a great purpose for which God has already prepared. You are more than enough to fulfill your purpose...you are perfect. You and I simply have to choose to pursue it! It is not a question of whether or not you have gifts; it is simply a question of whether or not you and I will choose to nurture them, do everything we can to reach the full potential of all that we were created to be and use these gifts to serve others. Simple as that...

And let me go back to this whole thing about vocation vs. calling for a moment. I know that I was placed on this earth to encourage, empower and equip others to become all they are capable of becoming. It doesn't matter what job I have, the calling is the same. Heck, it doesn't matter if I am even "working"...if I am walking down the street and I encounter another living soul, I am called to encourage, empower and equip them. I am never "off." It is my calling! It is so much bigger than me. It is about God and what He wants to do through me!

O.K., Kev's all fired up this morning! :) Let's get back to it. I want to share a few excerpts from an article titled, "Are You Living Out Your Calling?" It was written by Cindi McMenamin on January 8, 2013. The full article can be found at crosswalk.com.

"1) God calls us to obey Him...and obedience leads to joy.

When we follow Christ, we aren't promised continual blue skies or unlimited happiness. Jesus did say that to follow Him involves denying ourselves and picking up a cross. At times that will mean suffering. And it will mean experiencing situations that cause us to depend on Him all the more. But there is deep-seated joy that comes from the peace and satisfaction of knowing we are in God's will."

"So, if you are honoring and obeying God in all that you do, you might not necessarily be happy all the time, but you will experience the deep joy and peace that comes from remaining in His presence."

"2) God calls us to glorify Him...and glorifying Him brings joy.

God often lays something on our hearts that He wants us to accomplish for His glory. And there is no greater joy than glorifying God with all that we are and all that we have."

"3) God calls us to a life of faith...and that leads to our dream.

If God called us to live safe, manageable lives, then we wouldn't really need Him, apart from saving our souls and letting us sit it out until we are called home to heaven. Yet God wants to do through you what is beyond you. He wants to put you on display to the world of what He is able to do through a life of faith."

"So what is the dream of your heart? To quit your drudgery job and start that ministry, fulltime? To write that book God has laid on your heart? To trust Him with that move across the country? To expand your business by incorporating biblical principles? If it is His call you are obeying and His glory you are seeking, then He is the one who will equip and empower you to do what is beyond you."

Gotta draw out two things that are just screaming at me from this excerpt...

"If God called us to live safe, manageable live, then we wouldn't really need Him..."

"If it is His call you are obeying and His glory you are seeking, then He is the one who will equip and empower you to do what is beyond you."

Wow! Just Wow... :)

O.K., I want to share a few more scriptures with you...

Ephesians 4: 1 - 3

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Romans 11:29

"For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

Wow, right?!?! And now we know why there is that nagging pull of our spirit to use our gifts and honor our calling. We can try to ignore them, heap loads of dirt to cover them however the gifts and calling are irrevocable...we will either honor them or they will chase after us all our lives. At least we have been warned! :)

2 Peter 1:10

"Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall."

I also want to share a few quotes...

"I believe there's a calling for all of us. I know that every human being has value and purpose. The real work of our lives is to become aware. And awakened. To answer the call." - Oprah Winfrey

"But beware of this about callings: they may not lead us where we intended to go or even where we want to go. If we choose to follow, we may have to be willing to let go of the life we already planned and accept whatever is waiting for us. And if the calling is true, though we may not have gone where we intended, we will surely end up where we need to be." - Steve Goodier

"If God gives you something to do, why in God's name wouldn't you do it?" - Stephen King

Are we waking up to an alarm or are we waking up to a calling? How we feel when we wake up, our attitudes, and how we approach each day may answer that question for us. I am going to close with this excerpt from Jon Gordon's Weekly Newsletter he wrote on July 10, 2017. It is titled, KNOW YOUR WHY: WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?

"We don't get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it."

Having a vision for your life an knowing where you are going is powerful but it's even more powerful when you know why you are going there. Purpose is the ultimate fuel that moves you towards your vision. Living life without purpose is like driving from New York to California on one tank of gas. You'll be running on empty before you know it. But knowing your Why and having a purpose is like having gas stations along your route where you can recharge and refuel to keep moving towards your destination. You will face adversity, but when your purpose is greater than your challenges and you know why you are moving towards your North Star, you become an unstoppable purpose driven force of positivity. When you know your why and know that way, you will find a way and won't let obstacles get in your way."

Please Friends, let's commit to living a life of purpose, to waking up to our calling every day, the rest of our lives.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well! :)

Kev