Not a Political Blog
Hey.
It’s been a while.
Again.
All week, I thought I would do my first political blog post. Honestly. I thought, “I need to get my opinion out there. They need to know what I think about the current state of our nation.” I dreaded this election. I dreaded the outcome, no matter what would happen. But this isn’t a political blog. It never has been. It never* will be. (*Putting an asterisk here because I shouldn’t say “never.” Things could change. I don’t know the future.) It’s not a political blog because I think when we sink our teeth into politics for the sake of politics we miss the point. (There is a place for politics, don’t get me wrong, but this isn’t the place for it.)
The two Sundays leading up to the election, I sat in two different churches, two different states, and two different denominations. And the message was so clear. The first Sunday really struck a chord with me and then the next Sunday was like God saying, “Just in case you missed it last time.” Both Pastors were new to me (one was my cousin’s husband, but I’ve never seen him preach before). And they both talked about Trust.
The first Sunday my cousin’s husband talked about safe places—and how God doesn’t call us to safe places. He calls us to a place where we have to trust Him to meet our needs. He calls us to step outside of ourselves and love on people.
All through college I would get “calling envy.” Do you know what I’m talking about? Have you experienced this? I went to a Lutheran college where a lot of my friends were called to ministry as church workers and teachers. Some of them had a heart for mission work in other countries. I would feel guilty for not feeling that call. There was envy in my heart for their calling. (Which is silly, because God calls us each to our own mission, but I couldn’t see that at the time.) But I didn’t have that call for a long time.
I graduated, started working in an elementary school because that was all I could find, and fell in love with that work. Working with struggling kiddos was a blessing in my life. There were hard days. There were days when I got bit, screamed at, and cried on. There were days when I couldn’t understand why there was so much hurt in these little lives.
When I left the school, there was an ache for that ministry—an ache to be that safe place for a kiddo. There are moments in life when we don’t realize a seed has been planted until there’s something with deep roots taking hold. This calling in my life would not have been appropriate for the college student version of myself. But now I see this call to be a foster parent. I hear it, and I’m working to make it so. But it’s hard. It’s a calling that far exceeds my current circumstances. And it scares me. There are other needs that have to be met first. I am trusting that God will make a way for this to come to fruition.
Last Sunday, our middle school youth pastor spoke from the pulpit. He taught about the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44). I’ve heard the story before. Many times. I almost checked out, and I’m very glad that I didn’t. He brought a new perspective to the story—new for me anyway. It’s a story about Trust. When Jesus hears that his friend is sick, he tells his disciples to not be afraid, that this sickness will not end in death. But at every turn of the story, there was doubt from His followers. Doubt that Lazarus would live. And then he died and everyone asked Jesus why He wasn’t there. As if He had to physically be at Lazarus’ bedside to heal him. Doubt. Fear. But Jesus told us at the beginning of the story to not be afraid. Remember?
How often do we let fear and doubt rule over our lives? I know I’m guilty of it. I’ve been guilty of doubting in the past and I’ll be guilty of it in the future.
Even though the disciples doubted. Even though Mary and Martha doubted. Jesus still raised Lazarus from the dead, despite the doubt and fear, because it was in His plan. There is incredible comfort in knowing that the King of my heart will work things to His plan despite my shortcomings.
Whatever the future holds. Whatever evil things will happen in this world. Whatever trials I will face in my life. Whatever it takes to follow my calling. God will continue to work in my life and meet my needs when I step out in faith.
