To fulfill the ministry that God has called each of us to, we have to stay true to our calling. We each need to go directly to God to shape us into what He envisions for us to become. No one else is designed to be exactly like who we are. Only our Creator knows what is in His mind concerning who we are to be and what we are to do. He is like an expert potter, and we are the vessel He is forming for His pleasure and for His use. As the Lord shows us more about ourselves, we need to stay focused on the ministry He is calling us to, so that we will fulfill it.
Stay focused
In Luke 10:38-42 Jesus tells Martha that she is worried and troubled about many things. The Greek word Jesus used to describe Martha is “merimnao,” meaning to be divided into parts, or to be distracted. Along with God empowering you to say “yes” to Him is also the permission to say “no” to anything that pulls us in a direction different to what God is calling us to do. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be willing to serve or help in areas where there is need. What I am saying is that you have one life to live, and with the life you have been given, be sure that you fulfill your calling. If we are going to finish our race, we have to stay on track. Even if we have gotten off track, He is able to restore us and continue to use us from the point that we choose to give our lives back to Him.
Be true to yourself
One way we can get distracted is by getting our eyes off of our Creator and comparing ourselves to another person or ministry. We have to recognize that God’s call on our life is different from anyone else’s. We can celebrate another person’s ministry as being part of the body of Christ, but our uniqueness will only come out as we focus on our Maker. We can learn from one another, but our individual identity must come directly from our Father in Heaven. Once we know, we must determine to stay true to who we are what we are to do in the way that He leads us to do it.
Be part of something bigger than yourself
Being true to your calling doesn’t mean that you become isolated from everyone else. As part of the body of Christ, the ministry that God gives us should work together with others – as individuals, as churches, and as ministries. Find your place in the family of God, and work together to win the world for God.
Keep a gracious heart
When we are secure in who we are and in who God is for us, we can freely support one another. We won’t need to tear another ministry down in order to build our ministry up. Instead, we’ll have a gracious heart, a heart that supports and generously gives to other ministers and ministries. We’ll celebrate their accomplishments and speak positively of one another. We won’t be threatened by one another, but instead trust God with what He has committed to us.
Philippians 3:14 “…I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Our focus is to be on the Lord and the calling He has put before us. The fruit of our ministry is the reward that we’re aiming for as we work together to build His kingdom.
