You are Christ's body, that's who you are!

You are Christ's body, that's who you are! 01/21/2010

It's so funny what we do as children. I was in the 5th grade and preparing for a paper that I had to write on what I wanted to be when I grew up. I hate that. The pressure on children to decide their entire lives is just a waste of youth and it distracts from the fact that it is God who calls us to what we'll be. Being a mix between a free spirit and a perfectionist, this was really stressing me out. I was 11, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life other than love God and do good things. As the deadline approached, I prayed to God for the answer to that all too big question. I asked Him what I should be when I grew up and I heard Him say that I should be a doctor. From that day on, I was going to go to Duke University and be a doctor.

Well, as I grew older in years I lost sight of God and soon I was 16 and in college with 2 jobs and no faith to keep me going. After my aunt died, I had a breakdown of sorts and fast forward a couple of years and I was 18 and pregnant. What could have been disastrous was a miracle and I've been an at home mother since. I've never looked back and wished I had ended up being a doctor, but I've always wanted to have followed God's calling.

A few years ago I took a spiritual gifts assessment test and was actually surprised to see teaching was my strongest gift. I truly expected to see healing due to that moment with God, but teaching was the strongest by a landslide and I started to connect some dots. As far back as I can remember, I've been teaching of God's glory and on nonspiritual levels, as well. I've been a peer mediator and a tutor. I've led Bible classes for younger children and as a mother, my entire life is about teaching. I've been told time and again that I have a natural way with words that teaches people on a level they can grasp. Looking back, I see that knack for teaching is really a gift from above, just like all things good and perfect. It's a recurrent theme for a reason.
I'm being called to teach on a broader level.

We're all being called for something.

But what does that mean for the moment when God spoke to me? Well, that's the best part of my story! I discovered that in biblical times the word for "doctor" referred to those who were Spiritual teachers!

I'm just now beginning to embrace this spiritual destiny of mine, and I can't wait to fully live by my belief that God wants to act as a teacher through me. I've been taking baby steps, but I'm ready to leap and not worry about the confines of this world. The restrictions, the necessities, or the chance of failure. What are they when up against God?

Have you found your place in the body of Christ?
Have you opened the gift you were naturally given by the Spirit?
Have you answered His call?

1 Corinthians 12:27-30 paints the perfect picture of how we are each wonderfully made, and why we aren't all wired exactly the same.

You are Christ's body—that's who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your "part" mean anything. You're familiar with some of the parts that God has formed in his church, which is his "body": apostles prophets teachers miracle workers healers helpers organizers those who pray in tongues.

But it's obvious by now, isn't it, that Christ's church is a complete Body and not a gigantic, unidimensional Part? It's not all Apostle, not all Prophet, not all Miracle Worker, not all Healer, not all Prayer in Tongues, not all Interpreter of Tongues.

I hope you'll take a closer look at your own God-given talents, and share some time with Him in prayer to find the pattern that points to what He is asking you to do with this life.

I'm praying for your journey!

Comments

LauraLee Shaw

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:57:57 am

What a beautiful testimony! I spent a lot of my life trying to figure out who I was gonna be when I grew up too, crazy journey for sure. I'm thankful for all the lessons I've learned along the way, and I'm glad you found your landing on teaching others. ;)

Victoria

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:08:52 am

I'm so happy to be in the same "line of work" as women with hearts for the Lord, like you! Thank you for the encouragement today!

Christy

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 5:26:04 pm

I needed this today.