If you are just joining in, we are in the middle of a 31 day series on Living with Purpose.You can join in from day one HERE.
Coming to terms with the fact that I was not superwoman was a shock!
Realizing that God didn’t need me to be superwoman was even a bigger shock!
When God called me to step out and go to a new campus that my church, Bay Area Fellowship (BAF), was opening, I obeyed. Boy, you would have been proud of me (well, not so much). I heard God. I listened. I obeyed. I moved.
I was thrilled. I was doing it all. I was superwoman. I was the Bible study coordinator of the women’s ministries at BAF and I loved it! I taught women’s studies and met with incredible women weekly. My kids attended there and served. It was a great season of life getting to watch my children, young adults, serve. I was in heaven. Great church. Great kids. Great ministry. Great calling.
But after a few months of “doing it all” at both campuses, God got a hold of my heart one day. I was in my morning devotion time and I felt like I was living on the mountain top. Then somewhere on top of that mountain God tugged at my heart. He did it through the scripture Matthew 19:16-22.
Quick paraphrase: The rich young man asks Jesus what he needs to do to be saved. He had kept all the commandments and so Jesus tells him to sell his possessions and give to the poor. The story tells us that the man went away sad.
What tugged at my heart that day was that the rich man wanted it both ways. He wanted to be superman! He wanted to keep his comfortable life and when Jesus called him to a new way of life he walked away sad. What God spoke to my heart had nothing to do with riches – it had everything to do with obedience.
The man asked Jesus “what do I need to do?” Does that sound familiar? Have you prayed “what is my purpose? where do you want me to go? how shall I serve you? We can all testify we’ve asked! But when Jesus gives his answer, sadness came. The rich man wanted to do what Jesus wanted and keep his old familiar life too.
That’s where I was when God knocked on my heart. I wanted my “old” familiar life. It was a blessing. It was convenient. It was me! I wanted to go where God called, but I wanted to leave one foot in that comfortable place. Yes, I thought I could do it all. Shoot, I was doing it all! I was superwoman. But that day I had to meet with my leader and explain my disobedience. I cried through it all. I was sad realizing God doesn’t want superwomen. He wants obedience and I was disobedient.
Yes, more than anything God wants obedient people, not comfortable people. He wants growth and new creations, not old convenient routines. He wants us to trust Him, that just maybe somewhere outside of that comfort zone, that there is a whole new way of life waiting for us. Something grander than we can imagine.
Are you trying to be superwoman? superman?
Has God called you to do something, but you’re still trying to keep one foot in the comfort zone?
Your purpose waits on the other side of you stepping out in obedience. Trust Him.
What a great word and such truth! I really needed this today thanks for sharing! :)
[stopping by from SITS]
Thanks B. So glad you stopped by. Being superwoman is tiring!!!