The Agony Between Calling and Commissioning
I remember being a young Christian, attending a conference when the announcement came for all those who felt called into ministry to stand up. With great fervor, I stood as a declaration that I am responding to God's call on my life. Like Isaiah, I was proclaiming back to God, "Here I am. Send me" (Isiah 6:8). Shortly after this, I expected that God would launch me into ministry very quickly. I began praying, waiting, and watching for God to open doors for ministry. After some years went by I began to grow increasingly frustrated and discouraged that I was not yet in ministry. Did not God call me into ministry? Did I somehow miss the opportunity God had for me? Was I sure that God still wanted me in ministry? After some honest time in prayer with God, he began to speak some key scriptures to me: ...for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. - 1 Samuel 13:14 Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, 'Surely this is the Lord ’s anointed!'