June 24, 2019
In this morning’s Fruit of the Vine, Scott Wagoner asks if you’ve “ever been invited to do something you feel completely incompetent or unqualified to do,” and I think about the fact that I’m here at Barclay Press, trying to navigate a dramatically changed publishing landscape while also facing the steep learning curve of fund-raising for a nonprofit. Just three years ago, I was a youth pastor, and before that I taught literature and writing at a Christian high school.
Take a moment and consider how you got to where you are. If your professional trajectory – like mine – doesn’t make any sense, this might be evidence, according to Scott, of God’s call on your life.
Consider Moses. “He was raised in Pharaoh’s house by Pharaoh’s daughter,” Scott writes. “He murdered an Egyptian. He left in order to flee the wrath of Pharaoh and ended up in the wilderness of Midian. And then in the ultimate disruptive moment, God appears to Moses in the form of a burning bush and calls him to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of bondage. All Moses can do is list his excuses and plead for God to send someone else to do it (Exodus 4:13).”
Similarly, according to Scott, “We will face disruptive moments when God calls us to be part of something for which we feel inadequate or incompetent.” I know this is true. I’m learning and growing as fast as I can, but in spite of the three years I’ve already served at Barclay Press, I still haven’t found my pace. Some days, it feels like I’m falling farther and farther behind. I could offer excuses or try finding some other place – some other role – in which to serve.
The temptation is real.
But “to walk away from the invitation is to risk the death of our soul,” according to Scott. On the other hand, “to accept God’s invitation is to grow deeper through partnering with God and trusting that God will provide the necessary competencies, courage, and confidence.”
Scott offers this question for all of us to carry with us in the creative tension of faithful living: “Where do you sense God inviting you to join him in his good work for our creation?”
For what it’s worth, I’m glad God called me to this work at Barclay Press, a place where I’m invited to “grow deeper through partnering with God and trusting that God will provide.” And I’m praying for you this week!
Eric Muhr
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