This morning Phil Sparrow came to QBC to speak to us about his work in Afghanistan and how he has processed what it means to be ‘called by God’ to that place.

He spoke of the initial sense of calling where he exuded passion and enthusiasm and he went on to speak of how that had waned over time, how at times his work was actually quite tedious, with results hard to see… it was boring even… but the call hadn’t ceased to exist. He just sometimes wished it did so he could move his life to something more exciting and invigorating.

Phil challenged our western obsession with happiness, fulfillment and safety and suggested that these weren’t the criteria for knowing if we are in the place God wants us. Sometimes where God wants us does not make us happy, does not feel like its time well spent and may even be very risky, but that doesn’t mean its time to shut up shop and move on. Maybe it just means that for the time being you aren’t going to feel so much pleasure in what you do. Phil suggested we may have made an idol of fulfillment and that we need to simply say ‘yes’ to God and then get on with what we said yes to without looking back. (Interestingly Stuart wrote a similar piece here) In that place of ‘getting on with it’ we will find a different kind of joy, and contentment – if we are willing to go there.

He speaks as one who has been there rather than as one who know the theory and that is always compelling and confronting.

I love a talk that challenges my thinking and this one did exactly that. I’m sure you will read more in the coming weeks as I ruminate on those challenges and their implications.