I work at a helicopter company. And for the record, no, I don’t fly them. I’m not a pilot with a mistress, I’m just a researcher. Analyzing data and materials to make sure those helicopters stay in the air. You may already be checking out and bored with my occupation; I guess I can understand that.
Now come back with me as I rewind 8 years…
At 16 years old, I graduated High School early, and decided to go to Bible College. Young, vibrant, and so hungry to be apart of something, I somehow got into Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Tx. Well under the age acceptance, I studied Biblical Theology for 2 years. Playing on the worship team, on school albums, and their DVD, led me to start traveling around the world with my closest friends doing worship and “ministry”.
This is what i loved to do!
I was living the dream and very well thought “I could do this forever!”. At this point, I was at the top of my game and felt more alive than ever before. I was someone with a cause and truly felt like I had the real ability to bring change.
A few years of ministry and traveling crept by, and before I knew it, I was burned completely out. Tired, unbelievably out of steam, and so hurt by crazy charismatic people i was left with the ever looming question :: “did I miss it?” I thought I was doing the stuff, the stuff Christians want to do, so how the hell did it backfire and how the hell did I wind up behind a desk researching helicopter parts, 8 years later??!
I’m not adopting babies and digging wells (and I admire those who do, immensely), what I am doing is logging 10 hour work days in a corporate office, with corporate people, doing all that corporate mundane crap.
Why God, why?
It was a common question in my head and one that I learned to embrace. Why, you ask?
Because God’s Leadership in my life is perfect. And what I’ve realized is that it’s perfect regardless if I agree with it or not. And for you, that may be a very tough pill to swallow.. I choked on it for a while, so I completely understand! However, I promise you, the day you come to grips with this truth – will be the day the weight of “why” is lifted…
We have to face every bump, every turn, and every unwanted change that life brings us – because it’s all important to the Shepherd leading us. Every single step along the way is what’s making up a beautiful journey in this broken down world.
This is where grace finds us. For the once “missionaries” now confound to the four walls of a workplace. There is good news for us, our heart can be alive here. Behind a desk and in a cube, truly the location matters not to God, because the posture of our Heart is what shines brighter than anything.
Maybe you’re like me
–and you’re not on the “mission field,” on another continent, doing what you thought you’d do forever and just maybe you’re now punching the clock wondering how the hell you ended up here.
Let me encourage you today. God’s leadership in your life is perfect and every twist and turn has the ability (if you let it) to benefit your heart in a massive and powerful way, if you agree with how He leads.
Your heart can still thrive, and your mission to affect a people is still vitally important, even at the office where the mundane and repetitive are as close as friends. Cause at the end of the day, It may “look” different from what you and I dreamed up, but the importance of loving people well, will ALWAYS be present and true, no matter how it looks.
[photo: A. Jordan Pryor]
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