Have you ever wondered if you’re where you’re supposed to be? I don’t mean at the right address (although I’ve been in that position plenty of times). I mean in life, in the grand, sweeping sense of purpose and direction and calling.
Are my feet (and my heart) where they belong?
The question rings loud like a gong, with the echo shaking me to my core. Because the truth is, I don’t know. And I find that terrifying. As each day passes and college students look more and more like toddlers to me, I realize I get one shot at this life. And then the questions come in a torrent, one loud gong after another:
Am I where I belong?
Am I making a difference?
Am I loving well?
Am I walking in my calling?
It’s enough to make a girl fall into a heap, trembling and begging God for answers, not that I’ve ever been there…I’m thinking of a friend, of course.
While I don’t pretend to have this life thing figured out, I am grateful to be firmly rooted in my salvation, so the bottom line is, I know what comes next in the eternity sense. But what about here? Where it all seems so urgent and present and pressing?
I know what comes next in terms of eternity. But what about here? Click To TweetIt’s easy to get swept away in the current of envy when it comes to calling, thinking treading on foreign soil or having a ministry that reaches tens of thousands is the badge of success. It’s easy to think it’s in the numbers, but the only number that matters is the one right in front of you.
If I can look one person in the eye and find a way through my messy self to show them the love of Jesus, that is exactly what I’m supposed to do.
There are no red letters demanding we have a large Facebook following or write dozens of books or speak on stages to thousands. Jesus was pretty clear about what He wants from us, and I forgot that.
Love Him. Love others. 4 words to follow and we will be firmly in our calling. Every single time. The end.
This is the first post in a series! Don’t miss the rest of the posts to help you walk in your calling!
Post 2: Can My Calling Really Be That Simple?
Post 3: What To Do When You’re Stuck Between Your Calling and Real Life
Post 4: Finding Joy in A Simple Calling
Check out these great sites I’m linking up with today!
Literacy Musing Mondays, Purposeful Faith, Tea & Word Tuesday, Abounding Grace, Trekking Thru, Tell His Story, Porch Stories, Let’s Have Coffee, Worth Beyond Rubies, Moments of Hope, Tune in Thursday, Dance with Jesus, Fresh Market Friday, Faith ‘n Friends, Blogger Voices Network, Grace & Truth, Heart Encouragement
Thanks,Rebecca, for cutting through all the complications about vocation and gifting and all the layers we wrap around God’s first and greatest commandments.
Isn’t it funny how the only ones making it complicated is us?! So grateful He can break through all of that!
Great post! It is easy to think of a calling as being something big and spectacular, but so often it does just come down to loving God and loving others right where we are.
Amen, girl! You are absolutely right!
I appreciated your insight. Sometimes we have great clarity in this regard and sometimes we don’t but for me abiding in Him provides all the answers.
Stopping by from a linkup.
Yes! He does bring all the clarity we ever need! So glad you stopped by! And don’t forget to grab the free scripture cards in the sign up!
Love this post! Yes God is the God of the simple not of complication! Man man makes things complicated.
I love your comment “as college students look like toddlers”! Totally get that!
Love God, Love others!
Remember you’re always welcome to join me for a cuppa Rebecca,
Bless you,
Jennifer
Isn’t it amazing how we can complicate things?! So grateful for God’s grace in the process!
I have wrestled with this as well. Its refreshing to read your words and to trust that I am exactly where I need to be. Thank you!
Yes, yes, yes! As long as you’re with Jesus, you’re in the right place.
It amazes me how simple, and clear, it all becomes when we get back to the greatest command of all – Love God. Love others. Grateful to have read your reminder this morning!
So glad you’re here and that we can encourage one another!
Rebecca,
That pretty much boils it down…sounds simple, but not always so easy to do because we’re human and, unlike God, we get disappointed, angry, frustrated, saddened, etc. I like how you point out that we are to love others “through” our messiness. We don’t have to have our act all together to love others. Sometimes when we offer love out of weakness, we have a better testimony to share.
Blessings,
Bev
Some of the most powerful love I’ve received from people has been through their messiness. Grateful for that because I’ve got a lot of it!
This is powerful, Rebecca! “Love Him. Love others.”
The Lord has been teaching me so much over the last few years about callings in our life. And now I appreciate and celebrate the sacred callings of following Jesus, being a pastor’s wife, women’s ministry, writing, blogging, speaking, and roles as mother and mimi. Because if we love Him well, it naturally spills over into our lives and relationships!
Yes, loving Him first helps us love others so much better!
I love these four words Rebecca—Love Him Love others! It’s our calling for sure and sometimes we forget the simple truth of that. We let numbers and other things crowd out the important one-on-one work. Thank you for this reminder, and thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements!
Isn’t it amazing how quickly things get crowded?! Grateful we can keep coming back in grace!
Rebecca, I love LOVE this post. It really is that simple, isn’t it? Love Him. Love others. Now to keep my focus on that and not on everything else my mind thinks up to do or to focus on instead. I appreciate your words today!
God is often simpler than I make Him out to be! So grateful for His grace along the way!
Thank you for reminding us again this profound truth to love God and love others. Love is and remains our primary calling!
Yes! It’s so easy to lose track of it, but it is the most important thing we can do!
Such wise words. How often we overthink and complicate things. I, too, want to be in the place and doing exactly what Christ wants for me. And my heart can not only get in a dither but can be overwhelmed when I dwell on the idea. Truthfully, it boils down to “love Him, love others.” Thanks!! Ah, and my favorite line…”While I don’t pretend to have this life thing figured out, I am grateful to be firmly rooted in my salvation…” Amen and amen!
Isn’t that the most important part? Yet, so often I breeze past it as if it’s a minor concept. Choosing to focus well today!
It really can be “that” simple!
Isn’t it amazing? I’m so good at complicating things. I’m grateful God keeps it so simple for me!
“If I can look one person in the eye and find a way through my messy self to show them the love of Jesus, that is exactly what I’m supposed to do.” YES! Love that! That’s why I feel I’ve been called to share my writing, to point others to Jesus. Thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome Cindy! Keep sharing for Him!
You have distilled a lot of wisdom into just 4 words. Great post, as always!
Thanks friend! You’re so kind!
i love a brief word and a lifelong calling. thanks, rebecca. (most blogs are too long, including mine)
God is always one for economy and simplicity. 🙂
And your words always linger deep in my soul, so I wouldn’t worry about that!
Rebecca, I love this post! I say those four words all the time. “Love God. Love others.” It’s the essence of the Christian life. Well said!
It always amazes me how simple it really is!
Love God. Love others. The end! You make it so easy, Rebecca! Thanks for sharing. Many blessings to you!
It’s pretty great when we can get this whole life thing into it’s simplest form!
So simple. And yet we make it so complicated.
I’m great at overthinking and over-feeling and over-complicating! LOL Grateful for His grace in the process
It’s such a good point to remember we know the big ending, and that gives us the confidence to trust God in the little endings here on earth. Thanks for linking up at #PorchStories. xo
Always glad to linkup at your place, friend! 🙂
Amen! Doing God’s is a simple message that we tend to make so complicated. Thank you for sharing. I have selected your post to feature tomorrow on Grace & Truth LInk-Up.
Yay! Thanks Maree Dee! Always love sharing with your readers 🙂
We so often overlook this – it’s so simple and profound. If we seek Him and do His will in the everyday footsteps, He’ll take care of the larger picture. Yet it’s so easy to fail in the everyday, and we need His grace for these things as much as for what we think of as the bigger moments.
Grace is always the right answer 🙂
You’re my favorite, Rebecca.
The feeling is very mutual, Sue!
YES! “Loving Jesus, loving others.” That sums up the greatest commandments and keeps it simple.
Isn’t it amazing?!
Thanks, Rebecca, I needed this today. It’s the wake-up call my heart was hungry for. Now I need to catch up on the rest of the series! Blessings. 🙂 x
Yes! I’m so glad to hear this!
Wonderful words of wisdom! So simple isn’t it. It’s all about love, where our heart is! If only simple was easy. Many Thanks 8)
It is really that simple, isn’t it?!
Hi thank you 🙏