A few weeks back my wife and I watched the movie “Ms. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” For those who haven’t seen it, the movie is essentially an X-men-style movie where varying individuals, known as “peculiars,” each have some sort of unique superpower. While watching, the Lord spoke a number of things to me, and I believe they will speak to you too.
As mentioned above, each of the children had their own superpower, and this meant that each had their own area or sphere of influence based on what their power governed. One child was responsible for helping grow plants–because her power was the ability to grow plants in seconds that would take months or even years in normal time. The Lord spoke a number of things to me during this movie, although “speak” is a relative term. He spoke to me as well as gave me a combination of visions and impressions that together carried a message.
What he shared was that like those children each have their own “special” something, I have been wondering recently if I have been fulfilling what I am designed to do. I have been questioning, “Am I doing what I have been called to do? Should I be doing something different?” You see, I don’t work with the homeless or evangelize people or minister to people in poor countries. I sit in my middle-class home, surf the internet, and write. But what the Lord showed me is that writing is exactly what I am called to do, at least here and now.
He showed me, “When people read the words on the page, words you wrote, something comes alive in them. When they read your books, they begin to hope. Faith is stirred up in them and they start to believe at a new level than they were able to believe before. A fire is alighted inside their hearts to trust me for new things. And that is what you have been called to do.” For me this is reassuring because I do wonder at times if I should be doing something “more meaningful” with my time. And yet, it turns out the thing I love doing (writing) is what God designed me to do!
I believe this is true of many of you–that you wonder and question if you should be doing something else instead of what you are doing now. Well, the word of the Lord to you (and to me) is to “stop should-ing on yourself.” You are designed with a purpose and have passions that cause you to fulfill that purpose.
1 Corinthians 12:15-30 says, “Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”
If you have been feeling condemned because you haven’t fit into the very small and limited-scope ministry box the church has been telling you for years that “IT” is supposed to look like, be free. God has designed you for something different. You don’t “fit in” the normal way because that’s just not your way. It may be for some people, but you aren’t some people–you are you-niquely made to live your own life and to pursue your own passions. God is in the midst of them, because He has given you the deep longings and desires of your heart anyway. May you be free as you go out and live the way God created YOU to live–and don’t let anyone else hold you back from your purpose simply because it isn’t their’s. And if you are looking at trying to stop someone else, “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you” (Luke 9:50). Be at peace.
Yes! Yes! Unique with a purpose
So encouraging!!!! Thank you!
Amen, similarly to what you wrote, the church seems to get too much of the world in it and they start thinking like the world does, for instance, the world devalues women and their role in their families and it tries to conform them to be like the world.
So maybe we don’t have to worry about finding our purpose because, barring major issues, we are probably already doing it?
Yes, we tend to restrict ourselves to conventional norms and judge ourselves based upon the false criteria of having to receive the approval of others, fitting in, or expecting that we should function in some pre-set role. God is bigger than that and has designed each of us for unique service and contribution in this life. It is up to us to discover our God-given gifts and talents so we can do the thing(s) we are designed to do. If anyone isn’t sure what that is, spend some time exploring this with God. When we do what we were designed to do there is no greater fulfillment, is a form of acceptable worship and gives great glory to God.
Sometimes I want be able to answer critics by pointing to a cleverly named ministry with stacks of promotional material, or a building we built in a run-down part of town, or an orphanage we built in a run-down country, or maybe a seminary degree and ordination papers and an appointment calendar – or at least collection of testimonies of lives changed.
Then I hear Holy Spirit ask, “Who are you talking to?”
“The people who say I am not doing enough,” I answer.
“When you need their approval more than mine you have just switched allegiance. Wrong voice. Wrong question. Just write (I heard ‘Scrivi la storia tua’) and love the people I bring across your path.”
Amen Charis, that reminded me of what Kathy Walters says often in her teachings that Christians don’t have to “qualify” with other Christians or with God.
Oops! I forgot to say thank you for this! Good timing.
Yeah, all of us can be tempted to get sucked into that trap and have had that happen at times, but you are right that if we follow other people and seek to please them then we are basically in bondage and aren’t free to live according to God’s unique design for us. We fulfill our potential when we respond to God’s calling, not the voices of the crowd.
Amen
Nice. Great word. I was writing on this very thing last night and the night before.
Be peculiar!!! Great article.
Thank you for this word. This hits home. Thank you Jesus