If He Calls, He Equips

I have a clear picture in my mind of my husband watching a softball game this past spring. He's standing on a hill just beside right field, away from the crowd so he could monitor our sons in the nearby playground. Ball cap, jeans, sneakers, he holds nothing in his hands, but they are lifted up to his shoulders as he grabs onto the straps of a black backpack. If you looked inside the backpack you'd find camera equipment, nothing else.

Most people who looked his way would have just seen a dad, watching a game.

But I saw more. Because there's so much more there to see.

My husband is a pastor. I don't know if you know any pastors in a non-pastor way. A family member, an old friend, a co-worker. Pastors are just regular guys. But their calling is hard.

People are hard. We are loyal and fun and smart and genuine and loving. But we are also messy. And my sweet husband does the work of helping people sort out their messes.

He does a good job. A hard job.

So when I look at him, standing on that hill, I see a man asked to a high calling. Taking care of Jesus' people. And in that backpack isn't camera equipment, but he is equipped.

Callings scare us. When we're asked to be bold for Jesus a dozen questions come to mind:

Who? Me?
I haven't been to seminary.
I don't know the answers.
I'm scared of what they will say.
I'm not smart enough.
I don't love enough.
I don't have enough faith.
That's too hard.
Fill in your blank here.

I don't know what you've been called to do, what situation God has asked you to step into. But I do know this, if Jesus has called you, He will equip you.

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, though Jesus Christ...

Hebrews 13:20-21

I own an art studio. And if you've known me longer than five years, you've probably asked yourself, "Was Jennifer an artist and I just never knew it?"

This question makes me laugh because it is such a good one to ask. I was not an artist growing up. But God asked me to open an art studio. He equipped me with artistic gifts in my mid-30s. Gifts I didn't even ask for. They just appeared. He was equipping me with the talents I needed to open His studio. It still marvels me today when I paint, draw, or letter on a project. I praise Him because it's all His equipping. 

Listen to me when I tell you none of us is special. We are all apart of that big conglomerate of messy people I mentioned before. None of us is perfect, none of us better than the rest.

But there is one thing that sets some apart and that is the word, "Yes." 

Because when we say yes to the call from God, great spiritual work is done in us. Vast doors are flung open from the Holy Spirit and we receive knowledge, peace, and abilities that are not our own doing. 

I think of Acts 2 when the disciples began to preach the Gospel in languages they had never spoken before:

And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them that ability. 

God will not equip me for a task I will not say yes to.

I see my husband on that hill, holding on to that backpack. I see him leading a church, teaching and loving people. I see him leading our family. And I see him standing alone doing it. The weight of it hit me deeply. But then I saw the backpack. And the still, small voice says:

I've called him, so I've equipped him. I've equipped him with wisdom and peace and my very own presence.

And the same goes for you, dear friend. And for me. 

God will ask us to do big things and small things in His name. For our good and for His glory. And we may think that we're just not enough. 

I'd like to tell you that's a lie, but it's not. We're not enough. Our talents and brains aren't enough to accomplish the high callings of heaven. But if we step up to our calling and say the yes, we get the equipment. 

"But my God shall abundantly supply all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus," says Philippians 4:19. 

The riches of Jesus are pretty vast. If I were to dip into His supplies for my calling, I feel certain I would be properly empowered. 

So what's holding you back? Time? Education? Energy?

Or is it fear? 

Why don't you say yes? And watch that empty pack on your back be filled with all you need to succeed. 

Oh, the Thinks I Think

Oh, the thinks you can think! 
Do you remember this rhyme?
It's a Seuss poem that 
Celebrates the wonders of your mind!

I've thought quite a bit about thinking this week. I'm not sure whether it was the heavy amounts of rain or the change in seasons or the stage of my pregnancy, but my mind has been a whirling dervish of thoughts lately.

I can't seem to shut them off. I think about everything. A list for your amusement (and maybe even your commiseration):

• did I feed the cats?

• is the garage going to flood?

• we need to spray the yard for bugs.

• I don't read enough to my four-year-old

• I wonder if I need a better quality pre-natal vitamin?

• should I change my Facebook privacy settings?

• I need to plant a garden!

• does this mole look funny?

• my house is too cluttered...

• I must immediately rid my family of half of our possessions!

• we need to have a cook out for the twentysomethings in our church.

• how long do lemons keep?

• let's paint the house white!

• I hope so-and-so doesn't think I'm mad at them.

• I can't remember the last time I cleaned my Keurig...

• Is my Keurig slowly killing me?

You get the gist. A whirling dervish. A tornado of constant thought and activity leaving trails of debris and cluttering my mind.

Indeed, I may have the entire cast of Seussical: the Musical performing a litany of worrisome songs up in my brain:

Clean the coffee maker

You silly oomph!

Germs are slowly growing

and killing you, to boot!

I'm fairly certain this is not the freedom my Jesus wants me to live in. In fact, He has commanded me to not worry. To not ask these silly questions, but to seek after God and His Kingdom. 

"Just chill," says Jesus Christ, Savior of the World.

How do I do this? Chilling is hard for me, Lord. You have made my incredible brain. You know how it is wired. You know it so well, in fact, that you knew to tell me while you were walking on the earth  to stop worrying and to settle down.

Like I said, I've been thinking about thinking. And I think I have found a way to help us calm the storms of our mind. Lean in now, you don't want to miss this.

Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your mind on things above, not on earthy things."

Scripture is giving a clear command of what "thinks" should be taking up space in our brains, things above. Before we get into what these things are, let's focus on the second part of that verse. Earthly things. 

I bet you can help me add to this list of what is considered an earthly thing. In no particular order: wealth, power, success, fame, ALL THE THINGS I COULD BUY, impressing people, pleasing people...

I could go on. Maybe some of these things don't seem sinful...and you'd be right. For example, Disney World is my jam. I would go to Disney World twice a year if I could. It is truly the most magical place on earth. I see the gates with Mickey welcoming me and my heart starts to sing a little bit. 

But guess what? The House of Mouse is totally an earthly thing. So what do all these earthly things have in common?

They don't matter. Hear me when I say this....They. Don't. Matter. 

This is why Paul tells us in Colossians to not put our focus on these fleeting, momentary fillers that don't make one bit of difference in the Kingdom of Heaven.

So if these are the things I shouldn't be focusing on, what are these things above that should garner all my attention?

Heavenly things, darling. Eternal things. The things that actually do make bits of difference in the Kingdom of Heaven. Things like loving others, the solid rock truth of Jesus, praise and thankfulness to a living God, the spreading of the gospel of Jesus, generosity, faithfulness, perseverance, and hope. Wonder that such a great and mighty God cares about the thoughts in my head.

Heavenly things sound, well, heavenly, don't they?

Your beautiful brain was made to think about wonderful things, good things, eternal things. 

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 

Philippians 4:8

I hope you'll join me in this new way of thinking. I hope that when the tornado of worrisome activities start to circulate in your mind you'll stop and give several minutes of focused attention on the things that actually matter. 

Oh, the thinks I was made to think:

Bright things! New things!

Good things! True things!

I shall turn my worries into praise

I won't waste my thoughts,

Not for one single day!

The next time our brains are eager to clutter themselves with earthly things, will you join me in saying no? Let's make an effort to not waste time with things that just don't matter. Let's set our minds on things that do.

Don't Worry. Be Happy.

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Matthew 6:27

I don’t worry about when I’m going to die. I don’t sit and fret about basic needs. I get to live firmly in middle-class America: full stomach, access to medical care, warm home, and quality clothing. The water I drink is from a deliciously clean well.

So my American, Western Hemisphere brain doesn’t think this verse applies to me. Sure, I've read this passage in Matthew enough to have memorized it, but more often than not I just skim it.

God, I’m not worrying about my life span. I’m worrying about getting to work on time. I’m anxious about that phone call I have to make. I’m stressing because I have approximately 7,534 items on my To Do list and only two free hours in which to do them.

I’m not worried about the length of my life, Lord. I’m worried about ridiculously stupid (let’s be honest) things.

I’ve been thinking a lot about worry lately. I feel like it takes up too much of my time. Too much of my precious brain space. I’m a champ at going over scenarios in my head. How will this conversation play out? In what order should I carry out the tasks of the day?

Efficiency and planning are all well and good. These are gifts God has given me. But sometimes I use these gifts as idols and not the tools for which God intended them.

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers (and sisters), whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (emphasis mine)

So many times the thoughts in my brain, my worry and anxiety, are sinful. I don’t stress for my good. I stress because I worship my control. I stress because in my striving to control any and all situations, my control has become an idol. An idol to myself; that I think my way is always the best way.

See, how I should be reading Matthew 6:27 is this:

And which of you by being anxious can fix any issue you have?

Jesus is saying worry isn't any good, no matter what you're worrying about. Food, clothing, phone calls, planning. It won't make anything better. In fact, if Jesus says not to worry and then you worry, that's sin. Your worry is telling God that He isn't powerful enough to care for you in the big and in the little issues of life.

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, 

and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

He has shown me how to plan without worry. How to manage without obsession.

When I have done my daily tasks, let me rest in thoughts of true, lovely, and commendable things.

Let me let go of thoughts that hold me captive.

And let my thoughts be captive to Christ.