The way that Guinness talks about primary and secondary callings here makes a lot of sense. I wonder if I'm one of the people he talks about who "fell for the temptation..."?...that Catholic distortion which elevates the spiritual, contemplative, ministerial life over the 'secular' realm of vocation and work?
The connection he makes between calling and the Caller is profound too. Because our calling is not just something to do but a response to some ONE.
Early in the book he 'pegs' me with this: "People in midlife face it when a mismatch between their gifts and their work reminds them daily that they are square pegs in round holes."
Of course, someone else reminded me recently that a round peg will actually fit in a square hole (and vice versa) as long as the hole is big enough.
That discussion is kind of comical to me because it's the way I've been describing myself recently when it comes to ministry, calling, vocation, etc. The church I am a part of is a great place to be with our family...and the vision is potentially captivating and world changing...but my angst is simply with this concept of 'calling.' Is what I'm doing now in my life the "secondary calling" in which God wants me investing myself?
Here's how he describes calling in one place: "Calling is the truth that God calls us to himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to his summons and service."
To close, I'll pass on a quote from Oswald Chambers which Os calls attention to...
"The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him...The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him."
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