“Something inside of me knew there had to be more to my life with God than being productive and sharing the good news with others. Something inside of me craved the God I’d find when I wasn’t changing the world.”- Sara Hagerty
In Chapter 1 (“Beautiful Waste: Opening Our Eyes to the Unseen”) of Unseen, Sara Hagerty openly talks about her first calling to ministry after college. Most importantly, Sara believed loving the lost represented God’s highest calling. On the one hand, this belief fueled her. However, it also convinced her that her efforts provided critical support to God’s work.
Thus, in Sara’s subtle assent to this understanding of her role, she traded compassion for judging others. Sara judged others who chose to “waste” their time in pursuit of anything she deemed of lesser eternal value. As a result, the life-changing stories Sara witnessed validated her calling and passion.
Then, without notice, her life grew stagnant. While Sara knew how to share God’s love with others, she no longer felt that she lived in God’s love. Sara could describe the Jesus who walked on water, calmed the storm, and healed a leper – in her sleep. But, she wondered, who was God to her on ordinary days. Who was God to Sara when she:
- wasn’t changing the world?
- was by herself?
- had nothing to give Him?
Eventually, those questions served to guide Sara’s eyes to the unseen beauty of a hidden life with God. Ironically, this occurred after Sara left the teen ministry she admired. She met Jesus in the “unproductive” life she thought she’d never lead. To the surprise of her productivity-oriented heart. Sara obtained a part-time job in a quiet boutique.
Today’s question: Currently, what characterizes your life with God? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Unwelcomed, unbending circumstances”
