We may not know it, but we live in the age of “Go Big, then Go Bigger”. Our generation is passionate and committed. When we love something we go all in. That has been our response to Christianity as well. Studies show that it is no longer advantageous to be Christian. Where, at one time, “being Christian” was the social norm. If you went to church every now and again, or had a grandma who did, you were a Christian. It was synonymous with being American.
In this generation that could not be farther from our reality. Christianity is seen as less than desirous. Followers of Christ are stereotyped in a whole lot of unglamorous ways. Admitting you’re a Christian in public is not for the faint of heart. Which has really changed the culture of Christianity in some ways. Twenty something Christians today tend to be all in. All or nothing! Which is awesome! We serve a God who deserves that. How else could we respond to the all knowing, glorious God of the universe?!
However, we also live in the Social Media Age. Where everything is filtered, cleaned up, enhanced, and then broadcast for the world to see. We evaluate our lives based on how many likes we got on instagram.
Everything we do is up for scrutiny, everything we do needs to be postable… Everything!
I’m reading my bible this morning. If I don’t post it does it count? But will anyone care if I already finished my coffee? And I used my ugly mug today. The lighting is bad so if I took a picture of the verse, there would be a shadow on it. Ah this is so frustrating. I had the perfect caption for it too.
I am sure you can sympathize with the thought process, right??
Our world is all about leaving a mark and making a name for yourself. And while that can have so many positive results, the thought process can be damaging.
There was a time I struggled with the idea of passion and calling. I still do in some ways, but during a specific season I really felt like God was calling me to step away from certain things. But the next step was so unclear.
I could not unearth anything I was super passionate about, other than my faith of course. I would rack my brain for things. I love writing… I could be a blogger and become well known. I like sharing my faith and discipleship… then I must be a career missionary! I like studying the bible and leading women… Maybe I could write books and speak like Beth Moore.
It’s not wrong to have dreams and ambition. It is not wrong to pursue the passions that God has put on your heart with everything you have.
But there are some of us that feel we don’t have any specific “passions”. Or nothing we could do about them. There is nothing we can pursue to the end. We rack our brains for something to be passionate about. Something to set us apart. Something that can be “our thing”... That defines us, that gives us value.
And when we can’t come up with “our thing” then we feel we have no identity. We don’t know who we are or where we fit.
Whether we know it or not, the lie sneaks in that God doesn’t care about us. He forgot to give us “our thing”. Or we are of no use to Him. Or worse still, He is dangling some cosmic spiritual identity over our heads, just out of reach. Teasing us with glimpses, but never planning on coming through. Unless we can figure out some spiritual riddle that will get us to where God really wants us to be. It’s not even close to true,
I see it all the time. Especially on college campuses. She is a Nurse. Or a Musician. Or a Teacher. This thing that defines them. They chase after it with fervency (or maybe franticness). Sometimes I believe it is because those things are really what they want to do with all of their heart. And sometimes I worry that it is because they are afraid of being nothing at all. How sad is that? “If I am not this, than I am nothing.”
Christians can struggle with this just as much as everyone else, if not more. Because if we are not “anything”, we not only let ourselves down, or our families down, but we fear we let God down.
“What is worse than being nothing, than being seen by the God of the universe and being a disappointment?” our hearts ask.
I have dubbed this one of the biggest diseases of Christian culture today. You are something or you are nothing. All in, all the time. You are great, or you are a failure.
Because this endless cycle of thought will bring you to depression and isolation faster than anything else I can think of.
I am right there with you. Leaving a career of ministry for… the unknown. With everyone throwing out all these suggestions on what to do next. With encouragement not to settle for something that doesn’t lead me closer to my purpose.
I don’t have the guts to ask them “What purpose would that be? Do you know something that I don’t?”
Because other than walking with Jesus and trusting Him, I didn’t have the foggiest idea of what other purpose to fulfill. I desperately wanted to have an answer that shows I left a “eternally rewarding” career for something equally as fulfilling. To be known for something.
But then there was this small voice deep in my heart, as I agonized about all the opportunities that I had to be overlooking. A voice that said, “What if I asked you to be anonymous?”
What if I had to lay down my fear of mediocre? What if I had to be… nothing in particular?”
The world may view you as “nothing in particular”, but God looked at you and desired to save you. Not because of what you do. Not because you are even worthy of it in anyway. But because He loves you.
Because there is no better place to be than where God asks you to be. There is no way you can come up with a “better idea.”
Oh, God, you only thought of an office job… But did you see this cool job over here? Don’t you think that would better suit my skills and desires?
No, it wouldn’t. Because God is not concerned with our media presence. He is not concerned with how wide reaching our influence is. He is concerned with our hearts
We were saved by faith, for the works that God planned in advance for us to do.
Who are we to say those plans aren’t good enough?
God knows exactly what He needs.
So I am here risking mediocrity. Ok with being anonymous to the world.
Because God is gracious enough to not let me make too much of myself. He refuses to let me define myself by anything else other than Him. I am a child of God bought by a high price for the sake of the Gospel. I am a sinner in need of saving every day. I am called to walk with Jesus and shine His light to those around me. And if that is just 10 people in an office and not 25,000 reading a blog post... That is ok.
So I challenge you fellow twenty-something Christians. Be passionate. Seek Christ fervently. Share the Gospel often. Take steps of faith. Walk where the Lord tells you to walk. And know that if it doesn’t seem to glamorous of a path, that is ok.