It was almost exactly one year ago that I received a prophetic word that was hard to swallow.  Not the whole thing as there were words in there that lifted my heart right away.  But the crux of the word was difficult.  Not because it didn’t resonate, but because I just couldn’t see it at the time.

The word was given by a complete stranger through Facebook.  And I’d heard the same language before through someone I know personally.  I knew it was on target.  The matter revolved around a specific calling/assignment/voice, God has developed in me and he was expressing his desire for me to operate in it.

I told God that I believed the word was true, but that I couldn’t understand it.  Now, as we get ready for a season that has the potential to shift our lives in many ways, the mystery is unraveling. 

But even as things became clear I still felt my stomach knot in resistance.  I still couldn’t grasp how I could become that which I was confident God wanted me to take hold of.  One afternoon I was lounging on my couch when the Lord suddenly revealed why. 

The reason it was hard for me might not be the same for you and that’s okay.  But I hope one of the following reasons why it’s hard to step into your calling will shed some light on your situation and help you to walk in all that God has marked out for you.

1.     I Don’t Feel It

Feelings are great.  There is nothing evil or ungodly about them.  Jesus reflected every single emotion during his life and ministry on earth.  In fact, one of the most destructive strongholds is that which wrecks our ability to feel. 

I will always remember the day God freed me to feel.  It was as if I was born again.  Recreated.  I remember getting sad at a local tragedy, and then rejoicing because I could actually feel sad.

So, I’ve tasted the pain the lack of feeling causes, and I’ve experienced the joy of freedom. 

However, just because something is good doesn’t mean it can’t be manipulated and used for evil.  I have been presented with this conundrum often while ministering to others.  It would come time to forgive those who had wounded them or even themselves, and we would stall because taking the necessary steps forward isn’t something they really wanted to do.

But if we wait until we feel like it to take kingdom steps, we probably never will.  We typically don’t have a strong desire to forgive others, to serve, to ask for forgiveness, to suspend what we want in favor of another, to step into the role God is nudging us toward, etc.  Things like anger, shame, guilt, fear, etc. stand in the way.  The narrow road is harder and it’s easier to just keep going as we have been.  We will feel like staying on the wide road more often than not. 

What we must strive to remember is that God is Love, and that means he won’t ever ask us to do something that leads us to destruction.  The steps he asks us to take are for our benefit and we will experience the rewards if we can find the courage to follow him in the midst of our desire to stay put.

The Jordan River didn’t dry up until the priests put their feet in the water.  They found the courage to act even though the waters were high and raging (flood season).  So it must be with us.  We must shift our hearts from what we feel like doing and focus on the door God has opened.  We must find the strength, motivated by his great love, to walk through it.  You’ll be glad you did.

2.     We Doubt Our Value/Worth/Significance

What do we bring to the table?  How do we measure up to others already speaking on the same topic or doing the same thing?  Aren’t I unqualified?

These are all questions asked by those having trouble remembering who they are.  The instant we begin comparing ourselves to others, we loose.  Comparative analysis is from the pit of hell and it stems from listening to the voice of the one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us. 

The key is to remember our worth/value/significance/qualifications has nothing to do with what God has called us to do and everything to do with who he says we already are.  How he thinks about us. 

We are worthy because he’s ascribed us worth.  We are valuable because he adores us, because he says we are.  We are significant because we are his delight, the apple of his eye.  He rejoices over us with singing.  And it’s all unattached to what we do.  We are his kids, his beloved kids.  And we are very, very special to him without having to earn it.  We are the twinkle in his eye. 

So, that’s the foundation of our truth.  Another truth is that we are qualified by the experiences we’ve had and how God’s brought us through each one.  He would not ask us to move in something we’re not prepared for.  If we don’t have anything of value to give in a certain area he wouldn’t move us into that particular area.

If God calls us to move in a certain way, we should choose to recognize and believe that we have something significant to offer.  Something that can bring the abundant life of Jesus to those gathered to hear.

3.     I’m Afraid

It can be a scary thing to venture out the front door and into a world we’re not certain will accept us.  The “What ifs…” build and build until they are a formidable tower we can’t see over. 

But…

The Perfect Love of God is the wrecking ball.  We trust that when we step out as he leads, he’ll be there to catch, restore, provide, and protect us.  That goes for all those we love as well.  And that doesn’t mean we won’t experience negative things, things that hurt.  But it does mean that God will be doing whatever he can to bring beauty out of whatever mess our adversary tries to pile up.

We overcome fear because of his great love for us.  We trust in that love, learn to rely on it.  There is no fear in it.  People might leave.  They might hurl darts.  It hurts when that happens.  Circumstances might change ie. Homes, careers, finances, etc.  But God’s love…that’s the answer to every question.  All of his promises are ‘yes’ in Jesus. 

God loves us.  He never takes his eyes off of us.  We’re that important to him, that precious.

I want to acknowledge one more point and that’s the possibility that we just don’t know what his calling for us is.  But we will.  We just need to be ready to act when we hear it and not let any of these reasons (or others) delay our response for years and possibly forever.

Let’s overcome the enemy and all his tired tactics and step into the arms and heart of our Father, take great courage, and pursue all he has for us.  The world needs to hear what YOU have to say.

Blessings,

Jesse and Kara Birkey