As part of the process of launching my new website, I was culling through some old blog posts and discovered a poem (below) I wrote back in December 2011. I remember the situation; I will never forget the results. Not fun…and this would be why I identify with Jeremiah more than anyone else in the Bible. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not comparing myself to Jeremiah. I just understand him…a lot…on the inside.
Jeremiah was a prophet called by God to deliver a specific message to the people and rulers of Judah during a very critical time in their history. God inspired Jeremiah to write down His words which have been preserved for us in two books of the Old Testament. I am not him. But there have been a handful of times in my life when I was called upon by God to deliver a very uncomfortable and unpopular message of truth to people in authority.
I didn’t ASK to be put in the position of “truth-teller;” rather, it was God who called me out to do a single task at a certain time in a specific place. Trust me: When God’s calling you to do something for Him, it’s pretty much the ONLY thing you can think about until you’ve done it. No matter how hard you try to shake it off, you can’t.
When God speaks, His message is clear, and it will come through in a variety of ways: Scripture, devotions, songs on the radio, sermons, friends, and sometimes, strangers. The calling is so clear, you have to do it. You can’t not do it. Not if you have asked God to take it from you, and He didn’t. Not if He won’t let you shake it. Not if you truly desire to obey the LORD and follow His will in your life.
When God calls you to do something, you do it. And HE takes it from there. Even if/when you are disparaged by others, you know in your heart that you were obedient to your calling. The fact is that your obedience is the only thing that will provide you with “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” So, here’s the poem—it’s about being brave and trusting God when He gives you a difficult task.
Being Brave Is Hard
God doesn’t always ask us to do the easy things.
Sometimes He asks us to do the hard things.
I mean HARD. Really hard!
Something we could NEVER do under our own strength.
Something we would never do without HIS prodding.
Something requiring EVERY OUNCE of courage we have (plus more).
It will be UNCOMFORTABLE.
CHALLENGING.
DARING.
TOO BIG.
And it will have serious CONSEQUENCES.
Consequences we CANNOT control.
Consequences which may
–or may not–
be in our favor.
It’s almost TOO MUCH to ask.
But then, the choice IS ours, isn’t it?
We have FREEDOM of choice.
We could choose to OBEY.
To be BRAVE.
To let God take care of any CONSEQUENCES.
Because it’s not about us, is it?
OR
We could choose to SHUT DOWN.
Close our eyes. Plug our ears.
Sing “fa la la la la” until it all goes away.
Because,
in the end,
it’s all about us, isn’t it?
Our comfort.
Our strength.
Our reputations.
Bottom line:
It’s a choice.
Oh, LORD.
Make me strong!
Make me HEAR your voice.
Help me KNOW it’s YOU,
not I,
who is calling me to this
difficult task.
Help me rely on YOUR strength.
Guide me by YOUR Spirit.
Give me words to speak–
only YOUR words to speak.
Keep ME out of it.
And somehow…
Some way…
Make YOUR will known.
Even if it means people think differently about me.
Even if the consequences are unfavorable.
Place YOUR words in my heart, and light them on fire.
Let them burn in my soul until I have garnered
the strength to speak them.
Out loud.
To deliver YOUR message to the recipients.
And let me leave NOTHING out.
Let me speak every word.
And then let me walk away in peace.
For I have done what was required of me.
And I answer only to YOU.
Amen.
“But if I say, ‘I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,’
his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”
Jeremiah 20:9