God’s timing doesn’t always match our plans, and that’s a good thing!
I’ve known for a while that God has been calling me into the ministry and after much prayer and discernment I went to my pastor and shared my calling with him. He agreed and together we approached our District Superintendent with my calling and after everyone bathing this in prayer she, and our Bishop, have appointed me as the pastor of a local charge here in my county.
This wasn’t how I thought this would happen. I knew that talking to our District Superintendent was the first step in the path towards ministry in the United Methodist Church, but I had a plan. I wanted to take it slow, I was seriously looking at returning to school and becoming an ordained Deacon. Why a deacon and not a pastor or elder? Because I didn’t want to accept the itinerant nature of pastoral appointments. That is the crux of where I will admit I was wrong in discerning my calling; I was attempting to do it on my terms, in ways that were comfortable to me.
God really worked on my heart during those times of prayer and He brought to mind the story of Joshua and Caleb and the 10 other spies who were sent in to check out the Promised Land as the Israelites left Egypt. 10 came back and said that the ask was too great, two came back and said that nothing was too big of an ask when it comes from God as he makes it happen!
God was challenging me, did I want to be Joshua and Caleb or did I want to be one of the ten who didn’t trust God.
Fast forward several weeks. I’ve met my new congregations and they are lovely. I can see how they are a great fit for me and how God has anointed this calling. Had I not trusted God and His provision I am confident He would have called up someone in my place; but I now know first hand the blessing I would have been missing out on.
When we find ourselves being called into the unknown, sometimes finding that peace is what we need to truly experience His grace and blessings.
An Ordinary Methodist 