Learning about Vocation

My Dear Friends and Family,

I realize it has been some time since I last updated my blog. I always have great plans for being more faithful to post things....but then life happens...and yea. I think we all know the story. :) But here I am again! Happy to be sharing a little about my world again with you here at seminary.

It's currently late at night, and I should be sleeping, but it's one of those nights where my mind won't quiet down. It's usually nights like this when I start writing. 

I am currently in my last semester at St. Vladimir's. It is hard to believe that soon I will be on the next journey in my life. Here I am again worrying about what's next. The truth is, I don't know what's next. All I know is that God knows. 

As I think about what I might be doing after I finish seminary, I have been learning/thinking a lot lately about LIFE - specifically, WHAT ARE WE AS CHRISTIANS CALLED TO DO/BE IN THIS LIFE? On the brink of having to make big life decisions, this question haunts me. Thankfully, I'm writing my thesis on a related topic. That's right, Christian vocation is my thesis topic. Not vocation as in priestly vocation or another vocation such as this, rather, vocation as in what does God call every human being to do in life. What is Christ's calling on our lives and how do we live out that calling? Sound therapeutic? Yea, I was incredibly thankful for a wise man who knew me well enough to suggest this topic to me. I'm already learning so much, and it's all very comforting. 

Just a few takeaways from my studies on vocation so far:
So often we are tempted to think that Christ's calling on our life is working a specific job or living a "wild and free" life full of adventures and seeing the world. Sometimes our lives seem mundane and empty. Often we feel as if we are being left behind. Like we are missing out on some "other life" that God has really called us to. We think, "Surely this is not where God wants me to be right now." But the truth is, God is NOT hiding a secret, awesome life from you. You are right where God wants you to be. This doesn't mean that we are stuck but that God has a purpose. God is working in this moment.We can take comfort in this promise.  

Let me repeat: YOU ARE RIGHT WHERE GOD WANTS YOU TO BE. God has placed you right where you are for a reason, and he is using every moment to grow you into his likeness. 

God's purpose for every human being is that we grow more and more into his likeness. No matter where we are, he gives us opportunities to put our ways aside and act out of love for Him and our neighbor. In this sense, we all have the same vocation. Our vocation is to love those around us and grow more into the likeness of Christ right where we are. That doesn't mean that God never leads us to new places in life. Our lives change everyday. Praying and being open to God's leading is key.

How many times have I been too busy to stop and talk with someone who clearly needed someone to talk to? How many times has my agenda interfered with opportunities God gave me to be obedient to Him and serve my neighbor? It is so hard for me to put aside what I want to do and be flexible in the little things that pop up throughout the day. But that is a huge part of our vocation - be open to small opportunities that God gives us. I am SO bad at this.

Friends, this world tells us we have to be somebody, we have to follow our dreams and find our dream job, we have to be successful. The truth is, all of these things might play a part in our vocation - God often grants us dreams or nice jobs, or sometimes he doesn't - but the core of our vocation is to grow more and more into the likeness and image of Christ. We do this by loving our neighbor, seeking God through prayer, fasting, reading the Scriptures, participating in the liturgical life of the church, and pursuing other practices that draw the soul closer to God. That is our vocation. And it takes place in a million different forms in life.

In the past and as questions about future endeavors pop up, I have struggled with despair about my purpose, wondering if I'm where God wants me to be. The answer is, yes, I am where God wants me to be. My task is to seek God in this place. To wrestle with my struggles and sins and seek to grow evermore into Christ's likeness. We need no other vocation than this. This is enough work for a lifetime. 

I do not pretend to be an expert on this topic. I have only begun to work on my thesis, and there have been much more intelligent minds who have studied this topic. I feel blessed to be studying vocation at such an applicable time in my life. 

Living a life dedicated to Christ is often a huge sacrifice in and of itself. I have not had to suffer very much in my life, but some do have to suffer a great deal and through their suffering find Christ. Some people tragically die young or have very little possessions in life. The beautiful thing is that God has made everyone in his image, and he is aware of every life that cries out to him, and each life has a purpose in the Lord. God has loved and has given us all the same calling - to love him and those around us.

The idea of vocation is summed up beautifully in the following quote: "It's not about what I do, but how I can be a witness of Christ in whatever I do." and this one: "We do not become spiritual by abandoning human activity, but by transforming it." And this one: "Vocation is a response to God's loving act of dying on the cross. The life of Orthodox Christians will express gratitude through devoting their entire selves to God - heart, soul, mind, and strength." All of these quotes are from the book Christ at Work by Ann Mitsakos Bezzerides.

John 15:16a - "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide."

So next time the water temperature changes 37 times during my shower, or I spill coffee on my way to class, or I feel as if I can't read one more sentence about ousia or hypostesis, or I can't bear to see that person again at dinner, or whatever it is. I will try to see an opportunity to thank God for a chance to have a good attitude and grow in small ways into his likeness. HA! This will take work. Lots of work. But Christ has called me to it, so may his will be done. 

Please keep me in your prayers! Praying for you as well.

Love, love, love you all!

~Sara

This is kind of a long passage, but St. Paul sums this whole idea up beautifully with his words from Philippians 2:

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,[a] being born in the likeness of men.8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me."