Who is Carrying Your Calling?

Do you ever feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders?

More specifically, the weight of your calling on your shoulders?

You have sensed a calling by God to be used for God.  You long to make an impact for the kingdom by using your calling to speak and write.

But what if I fail?

What if I am rejected?

What if I never reach the success that my friends that I met at my first Speak Up Conference made?  They got that book contract, THOSE speaking contracts—am I behind?

These may or may not have been thoughts that have gone through my head at one time or another.

I remember one particular night I was lying awake rehearsing my fears in my head.  It had been a particularly dry time in ministry.

As a single woman who has stepped out to do full-time ministry in faith, I was “gently reminding “ the Lord that I relied on this calling to keep the electricity on.

At that moment, the Lord brought a memory to my mind as He began to speak to my heart.  I pray this encourages your heart when you feel heavy in your calling to speak and write for His glory through your story.

What Can Carry the Weight of You?

Go with me to a land far away in a country I  was visiting.  I was visiting this country for missionary training with a friend.  At that time we served as missionaries in a landlocked country with no swimmable body of water, so we were so excited to visit the ocean.

The wind was sweeping our hair.  The sandy beach and the waves gently lapping at the shore just made my heart come alive.  And then I saw IT.  A donkey for hire.

For a small fee, you could ride a donkey down the beach, the waves gently coming over the donkey’s feet.

The romantic adventurer in me thought this sounded so fun—so I was all in.

I paid my money and then I looked at my donkey.  I will be honest, once I got closer I realized this donkey looked—shall we say—malnourished. 

Let me point out, I am not.

I had already paid the money, so I gently climbed on the back of this “had-not-had-a-good-stick-to-the- ribs-meal-in-a-while” donkey.

It was fun for a minute.  I remember my friend and I throwing our heads back in laughter and enjoying the wind, the waves,  and the donkey in an exotic country ride.

That is, until all of a sudden I was in the water, waves lapping over me.

Friends, my donkey had dropped over DEAD! (Go ahead—you can laugh!)

It could not carry the weight of me. 

Friends, the only one who is meant to carry the weight of the calling He has given you is the one who carried the cross for you.

Anything else will buckle under the weight.

Likes on social media, numbers of books sold, the publishing contract you have been waiting for or the speaking engagement that means you have arrived—this cannot carry the weight of you.

Just like the donkey, it will eventually collapse.

But the one who called you to take up your cross and follow Him—the one who already took up His cross, He is the one who will carry you.

“Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11: 28 NIV

That night as I cried out to the Lord about how heavy his calling felt, He reminded me that just like the donkey, my calling could not carry the weight of me.  However, the good news is the one who created me and called me would equip me and carry me.

And the same is true for you.

What are you placing the weight of your calling on?