Are you a Hugger or a Walker?

Are you "embracing your calling"?

or

Are you just "walking out your calling"?

 There is a difference. If I had to pick only one word to describe the difference between the two that word would be "fullness".

You see when you are embracing the call the Lord has placed on your life there is fullness of joy, there is fullness of peace, there is fullness of love, there is fullness of contentment, and list goes on. May I go a step further to add that this fullness over flows from the one who is embracing their call to those with whom the call is being shared.

i.e. If an Apostle then with the church at large; if an Evangelist the churches he is preaching to...a Pastor then to his flock, a teacher those he is teaching, a Prophet those he proclaims to on behalf of God.

 When you are simply walking out your call in sheer obedience you are missing out on the fullness of the blessing that comes from the gift that God himself has designed for you. Just the same on the flip side by going a step further, when one simply walks out their call from God, they are keep not only themselves from the fullness of blessings of God but all who the Lord has intended for them to minister to.

 Why would I ask this? Some may be wondering at this point....some have known far too long and don't wonder any more. :) 

Well, as the Lord would have it, I have been talking with Him about my call for a few months now. Here just recently He has picked up the pace and began to speak to me through outside sources. (meaning pastors, teacher, friends lives and sources other than His Holy word). Confirmations all of them, as to what He has been speaking to me about the ministries of the Body of Christ; and in particular mine.

Through much prayer, hours of prayer, and searching in His Word and waiting on Him. I have always come back to same thing. (I may or may not share with you, I haven't decided yet...still waiting on the Lord) However, today is a day set aside, an entire day....I wish it were an entire week..:)...I may take one soon.

Anyway....as I sit here with the Lord, Holy Spirit began to speak to me about the differences between "embracing" and "accepting"....Both in certain circumstances are needed and can worked with....but one is better.

The Lord chose to use the arranged marriage as an example. (go figure  )

He spoke so very clearly to my spirit and my heart.....He said,

"My AmyColleen, see," I could actually see in minds eye as the Lord spoke all He described,

"Do you see this couple how happy they are?"

I actually saw joy on their faces. It was beautiful. The Lord went on to explain to me it was because they had decided in their hearts they embrace their parents decision and their families culture and they would trust their God to bring them someone just right for them. It was really incredible they way the Lord explained it....really. It was almost as if He wasn't talking about physical marriage.

Then the Lord showed me another couple and the Lord said to me,

"My AmyColleen, do you see anything different in their faces?"

He waited for my answer.

I did actually. They were a beautiful couple, just as the other couple were. They too had families that loved them. They too loved the Lord and much faith. It was almost an identical situation....but something so small was different. They were kind to one another and loving towards one another. Something was missing. So I answered the Lord,

"I don't know. Something seems different but everything looks the same."

The Lord answered back, 

"My precious AmyColleen, the first couple has put their faith in me...not knowing what lies ahead and has embraced the choice that the family has made for them. In this they have found the fullness of love before it has even bloomed.

The second couple have followed the culture of their fore fathers and have accepted the choice their families have made for them. They have been obedient and are struggling to trust in God on the inside."

Both couples know me and love me the first have embraced the second accepted."

I realized at this point the Lord was talking about our call to ministry....as we had been talking about it all morning long.

I also saw the married couples in a totally different light when I realized the Lord was making a point about ministry. 

I saw them as US and JESUS.

 There is so much more I can't possibly go into it here, now. I will ask again,

Are YOU "embracing your call"?

or

Are you just "walking out your call"?

One way to help figure it out is to listen to the words you speak....I know for the longest time I kept hearing myself saying, 

"No I am not____." or 

"I never asked to be a_______." or

"The Lord hasn't called me to be a ______."

I am not the only one who uses that language, I have some very dear friends who are currently all over the globe being used of the Lord in mighty ways in areas of ministry they never expected who were at one time "JUST WALKING" in their call and not "EMBRACING THEIR CALL".....I know some that still NEED to EMBRACE.

Dear Lord Jesus, Help us to see and know what you are calling us to in our own personal life to do for you and give us the GRACE TO EMBRACE it! For YOUR GLORY !!

Amen