God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.

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Listen to my song “You’ll Lead Me” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

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1 Corinthians 1:17

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

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What are you called to do?

Some people seem to find their calling and are quite certain they have found it.

But from my experience, many others either don’t know their calling or haven’t even considered that they have one.

Before he was known as Paul, Saul was a persecutor of Christians.

I’m sure that’s what he thought God wanted him to do!

But after a mystical encounter on the road to Damascus, Saul’s life was turned upside down.

In time he became known as Paul and one of the most zealous preachers of the gospel.

In so doing, Paul knew he was not called to do other things…such as baptizing.

And he apparently was not the best orator.

From his writings we also see that he tended to ramble on and on.

Sometimes your calling might not be obvious from your talents.

So how do you know?

First off, what are you passionate about?

Is there some activity that you do or topic you talk about with such enthusiasm that you lose track of time?

This could be a clue as to what God has implanted inside you to accomplish.

Whatever it is, it will always be for a compassionate and good purpose.

My call to ministry came well into my adult life and started with my own mystical encounter when I heard a voice in my heart asking me to pick up a guitar I had long abandoned.

While I had some musical talent, it was by far not the greatest!

However, in following this new calling, I was led to a life of ministry that has included youth ministry, chaplaincy, jail ministry, social justice and writing.

Throughout I have utilized my guitar and my singing voice.

I have recorded four albums of music and have published two books – all the result of following an inner voice that told me to revisit a forgotten guitar.

But just as Jesus had laid down his ego’s desires in deference to God’s, we are called to lay down our ego’s desires.

We are called to pour ourselves out for God’s purposes using the imperfect talents we’ve been given.

When we lay down our egocentric lives, we paradoxically find the lives that were meant for us.

The message of the cross is that dying leads to new life – every time.

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Listen to my song “You’ll Lead Me” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!