How can I work in the service of God? (Wait...this really is for everyone who believes, not just priests!)
As a believer, I am called by Jesus himself to become a field worker for God. I am called to move beyond my own faithful prayer life. I am called ultimately to serve the needs of others. There are many ways to serve Jesus and to help others; and we each have unique calls on our lives to seek our own purpose, to chase after it, and to live it fully. At first, many of us run from this call because it sounds like an imposition or too much like work. But embracing our God-given purpose in life is just the opposite! It is liberating and opens the way for us to become the best possible version of ourselves! So I encourage you to seek your purpose! Don't run from it.
At it's core, purpose is related to service. In my experience, service is an approach to living that leads us from a focus on ourselves to a focus on others. There are many ways to be of service to others: Parenting is one way many serve; others have careers in public service; and others take on charity work as their route to serving others in need.
In practical terms, here is a three-step process for moving forward that is like wading into water:
- Serve yourself - by this I mean adjust your heart. Pray with an open heart, asking the Lord to grant you the awareness of each step you should take as you discern his will for your life. I also mean start taking action, any action, with continual prayer, to adjust your heart. I leave this in general terms, because it is a process that is different for each of us. And it is a lifelong step. For me, I needed to gradually give up bits of my own "me" time to do helpful things for others around me. I did it reluctantly at first. Even today, I continue in this, seeking to do it gratefully rather than resentfully (Which seems still to be my natural inclination!).
- Get involved at church - If you don't belong to a church, join one! Seek the company of other believers. Submit to requests to get more involved. Continue to pray with an open heart, and thanking God for taking you this far. Be patient when things don't happen as quickly or smoothly as you imagine they should, because God's timing is not the same as ours. Things will happen!
- Reach out to others - Once you have come this far, you may find that you are called to reach outside your community of believers, sent like the Apostles to be sheep among wolves. Again, continue to pray, to praise, and to say yes as you wade deeper into this water.
Pastor Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life, What on Earth Am I Here For?, is one of the best books on the topic, and it can be life changing. It is a completely non-threatening and practical tool to help anyone seeking to understand God's unique desire for their life.
Today, I will ask God to show me the path for my life and to send me into his field, along with others as he chooses, to reap the harvest he planted by reminding souls by my words and actions that salvation comes through his son Jesus.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori, patron of theologians and vocations, pray for us.
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