Surrender to Your Calling!

by: Rachel Lovingood

As ministry wives, we have different types of callings. Some of us may have felt personally called to ministry aside from our husband’s call. Others of us may have felt a more general calling to follow the Lord and do His will, but the fact is that if you are married to a man called to ministry, then you are called to be his wife and, therefore, a ministry wife.

It is not always easy, and honestly, many wives I’ve talked with have struggled with the concept of calling over the years. We can develop a misconception of what calling means that can affect the way we live our lives and view our ministry.

As always, when we need to understand something better, Scripture is the place to go. Several great verses speak to calling, and one of my favorites is 2 Peter 1:10 (CSB)

10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things, you will never stumble.

While working on a study for ministry wives, I studied this verse; God taught me the coolest thing. Ready for this? The word for ‘calling’ in the Greek is klesis, and it means “invitation.” Wow. Did you get that? God doesn’t force a calling on us. He invites us to our calling. And yours is designed personally for you.

I love that. It makes me consider this question: how have I been responding to God’s calling? Because I was raised in the south and any good southern girl (or anyone with manners) knows an invitation requires a response, and we give one. Unfortunately, sometimes even when we politely accept God’s invitation, we try to control everything about that calling or think that we have to be like everyone else who does what we do. Thoughts like this motivate our actions, and we decide, “If God is calling me to ministry, then here is how I will do it.” Sound familiar?

Are you wondering why this even matters? Good question, because it’s a big deal because just like 2 Peter told us, there will be hard times (can I get a witness) and things will not be easy, so if we aren’t sure about and firm in our calling, then we will likely be stumbling and falling all over the place. 

On the flip side, when we remember the “why” behind our calling, it changes everything. Why does God call people like us to do what we do? The short answer is, “Because lost people go to a real place called Hell when they die without Christ, and we serve on the front lines of the battle against darkness to win as many people to faith as possible.” When we remember the “why” behind the call, dealing with the tough times gets easier. Never forget that it is a privilege to serve in ministry (even when it’s hard), and when the going does get hard, we have our calling to stand on.

Have you been resisting His call? Resenting His call? Trying to control and manipulate His call? We are probably all guilty of these at some point or another. 

I remember just ten days into my marriage when I was young and knew we were heading to a ministry life, yet clueless about what that meant. We drove out to seminary in Ft. Worth finding ourselves trapped in an ice storm and spending several days stuck in a Best Western in Mt. Pleasant, TX (totally terrible name for that town!). Things were bleak and seemed a bit hopeless. I remember telling the Lord that this was NOT what I had envisioned or planned life in ministry to look like-especially in the first two weeks!!

Several things added to my misery that week. The weather, no contact with family (before cell phones), physically ill due to wisdom teeth surgery the day we set out from home, and all the uncertainties. BUT God did what only He can do. Through a series of terrible circumstances but perfect timing (have you ever been there?), we met a small-town church Pastor who would later call us to our first Staff position while we were in seminary. 

We loved that church. God used them to teach us and to provide for us. When I stopped to reflect on that crazy week of being trapped in Mt. Pleasant in a blue northern, I realized very clearly God’s call on my life is NOT about what I think should happen and when, BUT about how His design and plan is always right and right on time.

Over the years, I have been so grateful He taught me that lesson early because it’s when we surrender our will and truly accept God’s design, plan, and calling on our lives that we start to lead the way He wants us to and lead MOST effectively. Why waste time or energy trying to do things my way when God’s is so much better?! Maybe it’s time to let go of control and trust the One who called you.

One of the passages I love to pray over ministry wives for encouragement is Ephesians 1:18-19. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.” Today sweet sister, may you know and rest in the hope of His calling.