Forsaking All Else

Some months ago, in answer to my whining about why the Lord was taking so long to bring a mate into my life, He told me that He wanted to give it to me free. That sounded nice, and was quite a comfort to me at the time, but lately I’ve begun to question what that really means. Some translations of the Bible say that a woman should adapt herself to her husband, and that doesn’t sound like "free" to me! On top of that, in the marriages that I’ve observed, invariably the woman has given up a lot in order to be married. So when the Lord told me He wants to give it to me free, what on earth did He mean?

He answered by showing me a principle that applies not only to me and my situation, but to you and yours.

Each of us has a calling in life that is every bit as unique as our fingerprints. On the surface your calling may appear to be the same as that of thousands of others, but upon closer inspection, you’d find it to be as unique as you are. With so many variables, and so many options to choose from in every area, every day, if any one of us desires to completely fulfill our destiny, we’ve got to forsake all else and pursue God’s purpose for our lives.

The Lord has spoken to me many times and in many ways, and I’ve got a few years of experience under my belt, and I’m confident that I know what my calling is. As time goes on, and as I walk in what I know, I fully expect more clarity to come, but in general, I have a pretty good idea of what I am called to do and what I am not called to do.

I am not called to be a homemaker, I am not called to be a mother, and I am not called to be a wife. I do keep house for myself, I may yet have children, and I believe the Lord has promised me a mate; but while that is true, there is still a distinction between having something and being called to something. If I was called to any of those things, it would be my responsibility to give up other things in order to fulfill my call. But if those things are not my calling, it would in fact be wrong to give up anything I am called to, in order to have them.

God has called me to be a business woman. It would be rebellion against Him to give up my business in order to keep house for my husband. I would be unfulfilled if I gave up writing in order to raise children.

Whatever I am not called to, I cannot pursue. I cannot sacrifice to attain it. I cannot let it take precedent over my calling.

Such things are a bonus. They’ve gotta be free!

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