Called Together... Sunday Worship from Vocations Sunday
On the advice of another blogger I took the chance to listen to Sunday Worship on Radio 4 from Ripon College, Cuddeson. The iplayer recording has now expired, but a transcript is available here. There was some wonderful music and I always find it helpful to hear how other people have found vocation and how every story is different. The talk by the principal is worth referring back to again and again;
"But if it is true that every Christian has a vocation, what are the next steps? How would you know you were called? How could you be sure? You can’t of course, but there are a few simple things to bear in mind - things we often remind students of here at Cuddesdon.
First, have courage. Many vocations never take root because of fear. Fear of failure, or of perhaps just of getting it wrong – suppose someone rumbles that I am just ordinary? Suppose I really make a mess of it? But mistakes happen, and I think the best thing we can try to do is learn from these things. Failure is not the worst thing; letting it defeat you is. It takes a special kind of wisdom and courage to face failure and defeat, and to then try and move on from this.
Second, have patience. The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. And vocations are weighed and measured over the entire course of a life, not just a few moments of success or glory. It takes a long time to appreciate just how much God has called us too. It takes daily devotion to see that our calling is not just about affirmation or success, but rather faithfulness. We are not primarily called to win things – even for God; but simply to walk with Christ.
Third, have humility. A vocation is not about the trappings of power and privilege in ministry. The gospel is about eternal rewards, not the temporal baubles of career or church. The call is that we have our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is, by the way, coming back to do an audit. We do not therefore need our focus to be on a career path. Ultimately, a true vocation is something of a release – not something that is to be grasped.
This why the Apostle Paul’s well-known phrase is so vital to remember: ‘his power is made perfect in our weakness’. We do not belong to a faith where power finds expression in perfectionism. Or that our vocations – whatever they may be – raise us up several feet beyond contradiction. Rather, we look for the God who is incarnate; who comes to the world, and is found in human form. God uses our weaknesses – the foolish and base things of the world – to bring about change. Which is why he says to each and every one of us today, as he did to the fisherman at the beginning of Mark’s gospel: come, follow me."
These three points are so reassuring. After a confusing few weeks personally, to hear that it's okay to make mistakes is immensely reassuring. I don't know if I've made a mistake but it can feel like it sometimes, what I do know is that I have been called, that much feels like the words in a stick of rock, I just need to work out what the word says! I need to have courage to stay the course and weather the occasional storm.
So I'm working out what form that calling will take and what needs to happen and that is where courage, patience and humility will all have their say.
This journey of vocation has been wonderful so far, I've learnt so much but only a pin heads worth compared to what I will learn! I must learn to be patient and let things happen gently, in God's time (as the DDO wrote in an e-mail).
I've spoken about humilty before and will again I'm sure! More and more, this, to me seems to the key. To be truly humble is very challenging and yet again, is so simple. To truly focus on Christ.
I also wrote this two weeks ago and wasn't sure whether to share it:
By not pursuing stipendiary ministry, I think I must sacrifice another earthly desire, that of personal self-fulfilment. It’s possible I was pursuing this as a way of gaining promotion, approval or acceptance. The one thing I have often thought to myself is that I would like to have the word manager in my job title, just once! And while I’ve never been particularly ambitious, I have often thought that I could do the job of the person above me (in earthly domain only!) much better. I think this is something else to give up.
Only by giving up these earthly wants and desires can we become true servants. Perhaps by accepting this and coming to understand my calling better, then I will be truer to God and to myself. While I struggle to fit a niche not created for me, it will only cause pain and conflict for those I am looking to for help in the discernment process.
Much to ponder I think!
"But if it is true that every Christian has a vocation, what are the next steps? How would you know you were called? How could you be sure? You can’t of course, but there are a few simple things to bear in mind - things we often remind students of here at Cuddesdon.
First, have courage. Many vocations never take root because of fear. Fear of failure, or of perhaps just of getting it wrong – suppose someone rumbles that I am just ordinary? Suppose I really make a mess of it? But mistakes happen, and I think the best thing we can try to do is learn from these things. Failure is not the worst thing; letting it defeat you is. It takes a special kind of wisdom and courage to face failure and defeat, and to then try and move on from this.
Second, have patience. The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. And vocations are weighed and measured over the entire course of a life, not just a few moments of success or glory. It takes a long time to appreciate just how much God has called us too. It takes daily devotion to see that our calling is not just about affirmation or success, but rather faithfulness. We are not primarily called to win things – even for God; but simply to walk with Christ.
Third, have humility. A vocation is not about the trappings of power and privilege in ministry. The gospel is about eternal rewards, not the temporal baubles of career or church. The call is that we have our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is, by the way, coming back to do an audit. We do not therefore need our focus to be on a career path. Ultimately, a true vocation is something of a release – not something that is to be grasped.
This why the Apostle Paul’s well-known phrase is so vital to remember: ‘his power is made perfect in our weakness’. We do not belong to a faith where power finds expression in perfectionism. Or that our vocations – whatever they may be – raise us up several feet beyond contradiction. Rather, we look for the God who is incarnate; who comes to the world, and is found in human form. God uses our weaknesses – the foolish and base things of the world – to bring about change. Which is why he says to each and every one of us today, as he did to the fisherman at the beginning of Mark’s gospel: come, follow me."
These three points are so reassuring. After a confusing few weeks personally, to hear that it's okay to make mistakes is immensely reassuring. I don't know if I've made a mistake but it can feel like it sometimes, what I do know is that I have been called, that much feels like the words in a stick of rock, I just need to work out what the word says! I need to have courage to stay the course and weather the occasional storm.
So I'm working out what form that calling will take and what needs to happen and that is where courage, patience and humility will all have their say.
This journey of vocation has been wonderful so far, I've learnt so much but only a pin heads worth compared to what I will learn! I must learn to be patient and let things happen gently, in God's time (as the DDO wrote in an e-mail).
I've spoken about humilty before and will again I'm sure! More and more, this, to me seems to the key. To be truly humble is very challenging and yet again, is so simple. To truly focus on Christ.
I also wrote this two weeks ago and wasn't sure whether to share it:
By not pursuing stipendiary ministry, I think I must sacrifice another earthly desire, that of personal self-fulfilment. It’s possible I was pursuing this as a way of gaining promotion, approval or acceptance. The one thing I have often thought to myself is that I would like to have the word manager in my job title, just once! And while I’ve never been particularly ambitious, I have often thought that I could do the job of the person above me (in earthly domain only!) much better. I think this is something else to give up.
Only by giving up these earthly wants and desires can we become true servants. Perhaps by accepting this and coming to understand my calling better, then I will be truer to God and to myself. While I struggle to fit a niche not created for me, it will only cause pain and conflict for those I am looking to for help in the discernment process.
Much to ponder I think!
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