Barriers to Callingনমুনা

Calling and Comparison

Finding a job, getting promoted, meeting a partner, getting married, buying a house, having children, getting another promotion, having another child . . . .In our comparison-rife and consumerist culture, we can all too easily equate living a life of calling with reaching as many life ‘milestones’ as we possibly can this side of Heaven. I hope you know that the God of the Bible has a very different perspective on our calling. 

The Bible talks about our calling as a race. The writer of Hebrews declares that there is a race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1). However, our prize is not the accolades, titles and trophies we might collect during the race; it is Jesus who is the goal. The race marked out for us leads to Jesus, and only you can run your race toward that "heavenly prize" (Philippians 3:14). 

The more I have reflected on the short phrase "the race marked out for us," the more convinced I am that in Christ we each have our own race to run. None of the life milestones listed above are guaranteed, and if you find yourself feeling left behind, you are not –- you are just running a different race. This phrase states the obvious that we often fail to see. When we think about calling, it is all too easy for our first thought to be about other people and what they are doing with their lives and how they are running their race. Focusing on the runner next to us increases our chance of running outside of our own lane and may even disqualify us from the prize. How other people have run their race is to serve only as an inspiration or a warning, not a blueprint.

Questions: 

How are you running your race? Are there any things that might threaten or hinder your race? What comes to mind when you think of "the race marked out for you?"

Prayer

Lord God, I really want to run my race well and without comparing myself to others. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so I will have all the perseverance and endurance I need to work out your call on my life. Amen