I needed a pep talk today, so here it is...

Have you ever noticed that as Christians we tend to assume God only calls us to things we enjoy? So many times I hear people say that God hasn’t called them to _____________, and I want to ask them, “Are you basing this on the fact that it doesn’t appeal to YOU because it would suck?” The thing is, God calls us to hard stuff. It’s not about us. It’s about HIM. If God only called us to the things we like, no Christian would ever:

Become paralyzed

Love someone with a mental illness

Become unexpectedly pregnant when they feel their family is complete

Adopt a child with RAD

Be infertile

Have cancer

Struggle in their marriage

Lose a loved one

Have a child born with scary medical issues

Face financial difficulty

Or experience any other emotional or physical pain. God uses these things to show us His love, to grow us, and for His own glory. Of course you don’t want the bad stuff. But with the bad stuff comes some really really good stuff-- if you’re living in obedience to God. I know it’s scary, we're supposed to step out in faith to follow Him. It helps to remember: it’s not about YOU! He has a purpose, and what greater purpose could you have than to be part of whatever God is doing? Even if it hurts. And it’s gonna hurt. Life hurts. Change hurts. But hurt can be good. Without that pain we become stagnant.

I am not a freaking saint. I don’t enjoy the hard stuff. But I know that it comes from Him. He uses it to shape me, and those around me. Most amazingly, He uses it to bring about His own glory, and I get to be a part of that.

You are no different than I am. Don’t act like I’m some sort of Mother Theresa who’s more equipped to deal with the hard stuff than you are. I am incredibly selfish. I’m demanding. I like things MY way. My tongue can (and sadly has) cut others down in an instant. I am impatient. I HATE noise. I like to be the boss of everything. Things I cannot control make me incredibly anxious and often furious. I am utterly and completely ill equipped for the jobs God has given me. He has called me to them anyway. They point me ever more to Him, because I wouldn’t be fit for anything without Him.

Instead of trying to tell God what you’re called to, why don’t you listen to Him? You’ll probably be REALLY surprised to find out what He’s called you to, and that He will make up for all your inadequacies along the way.