Answer the Call

Today I prayed a bold prayer. I asked the Holy Spirit, “Please reveal my transgressions and iniquities so that I may confess them and obtain a strategy to live a repentant life.” As I prayed this prayer, things started popping up like the gods I made out of fear and pride. I had to confess all the pursuits of my life that did not please the Father throughout the years. I had to admit my rebellion towards the things I KNOW God asked me to do. I poured out my heart and confessed everything that came to mind before Him. One of those things being since the age of 19, I have known what I was placed on this earth to do, and I have refused to fully own it. I had to admit I did not see the value or necessity for it while in pursuit of my own dreams.

Truth is I have spent the last 16 years of my life trying to find something else to be and do with my life. If I am honest, I did not see how I could be successful doing it. I went to college in an effort to escape poverty not to become a preacher. I wanted to be a world-renowned psychologist that made millions of dollars writing books and doing seminars. If that did not work, I wanted to be a professional dancer and singer touring around the world. Never in a gazillion years did I ever want to spend my days doing church stuff. I experienced too much to voluntarily sign up to be part of that Circus act. Fast forward to today, and I find myself concluding this about life, “The most important thing we can do with our lives is make disciples that truly love God.” As I uttered those words I started weeping because sixteen years ago, in Dr. Carol Johnson’s Introduction to Pastoral Care Ministries class at Oral Roberts University, when asked, “what is your purpose?,” I declared, “to help restore discipleship and authentic worship of God back into the Church.” In that moment I have never considered the question, but that was the answer that burst out of my mouth before I could question it.

At the time, my religious mind only saw the Church being those who dwelled in the four walls. Once I started studying and living, I realized the Church is everyone that called on the name of the Lord to be saved. My little pea brain assumed God was sentencing me to a life of religion, Church politics, and people pleasing for the sake of staying on good terms with the gatekeepers of modern Christianity. To my amazement and great pleasure, He was actually asking for the opposite. I am here to challenge bad religion, false doctrine, and other gospels that keep people from coming into a real relationship with God. I am here to disrupt our conformity to this world; compromise to His truth; and the pseudo community we call Church that focuses on the upkeep of an edifice instead of the wellbeing of the Believer’s soul. I’m here to join forces with the Holy Spirit and other believers in an effort to get as many people as possible to align themselves with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and what it really means to love the Lord (Matthew 22:36-40).

Today, I stand as a woman that confidently owns what God has called me to do without fear, shame, or concern about my financial status. I am honored that he would call me to such an assignment. A beautiful peace dwells within as I have accepted my call for what it is versus what I wanted. My life is no longer my own, and I am glad that is the case. I can rest knowing I’m fully committed to the call of God on my life; and I do not have to compete or feel insecure about it. I am FINALLY confident in His calling and my assignment. I pray we all will be. Our world needs us in the position that God has called us to because that is where we will have the most impact. I’m cheering for you, and I look forward to what God will do through you as you choose to give Him your “YES!” completely!-Charity Israel