A Conflicted Calling
Sunday we had a couple speak at church that are doing mission work in Africa. Besides being totally inspiring, they brought up a really good point that I had only thought about in passing, but never in any depth.
The wife told us about her willingness to follow her husbands calling to go to Africa. She even thought that maybe it was hers as well. Then when the violence broke out in Kenya recently (right where they are living), she went many sleepless nights struggling with God for putting her and her family in that situation.
During one of her sleepless nights she read through James, and realized that this was actually her calling as well. Since then she has been willing to do whatever, and follow God wherever, this called for.
So my question is this, what do you do when you and your spouse have conflicted callings? What if God is calling you to go to Africa (or any of a million other callings), but your spouse isn’t getting that word?
April 10, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Great question…to which I have no answer. You see my wife and I are like one mind. We are synchronized to a T…
ok, I jest.
I don’t know how I’d approach it. Do I smell a future blog post exploring this line of thought?
April 10, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I don’t believe God would do that. In God’s eyes you are “ONE BODY”. I believe that the lady that spoke hadn’t excepted her calling yet and possibly lacked trust in God. I just don’t believe God would work that way. It is silly to think that he would.
April 10, 2008 at 4:44 pm
@Russ: This would be that post.
@thepatriot: I see where you’re coming from, but you can’t believe that one spouse would have a vision at the exact same time that the other is having the same vision. Perhaps eventually they both come to the realization that it’s both of their calling, but, speaking from experience, they do not get the calling at the same time. At least not 100% of the time.
April 10, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Hmmm…. good thoughts - - That is a tough one!
-cs
http://chrisschellenberg.com/
April 10, 2008 at 4:53 pm
You don’t have to get the calling at the same time. If one gets the calling and he or she knows that is in fact a calling from God, that’s it. Done deal. If my wife is called to go to Africa it’s done. That then is my calling as well, being of one body God isn’t going to call one and not another. It is very simple.
April 10, 2008 at 4:56 pm
….wife submit…..we’re going to Africa! Woman, start packing. Simple.
April 10, 2008 at 9:13 pm
I have a wife that has always proven her dedication to ministry and God’s call on mine and her life. So, I am kind of biased in saying it would all work out for everybody.
Maybe a good question would be to ask the men around here what they would do if their wife came to them and said that God is calling them to Africa. Maybe that would put things into perspective.
April 10, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Ugh…how timely a word spoken. You have no idea how badly I wish I could have been there for that. My wife and I are struggling with a calling right now (although Charlotte is a long way from Kenya). Luckily, we are very much aligned. If anything, this calling has opened more dialog than at any other time in our marriage. It has brought us closer.
April 11, 2008 at 10:39 am
Skipper had told me, “Woman, I think God is calling you to Africa, buh bye!”