It is easier to serve or work for God without a vision and without a
call, because then you are not bothered by what He requires. Common
sense, covered with a layer of Christian emotion, becomes your guide.
You may be more prosperous and successful from the world’s perspective,
and will have more leisure time, if you never acknowledge the call of
God. But once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of
what God asks of you will always be there to prod you on to do His will.
You will no longer be able to work for Him on the basis of common
sense.
What do I count in my life as “dear to myself”? If I have not been
seized by Jesus Christ and have not surrendered myself to Him, I will
consider the time I decide to give God and my own ideas of service as
dear. I will also consider my own life as “dear to myself.” But Paul
said he considered his life dear so that he might fulfill the ministry
he had received, and he refused to use his energy on anything else. This
verse shows an almost noble annoyance by Paul at being asked to
consider himself. He was absolutely indifferent to any consideration
other than that of fulfilling the ministry he had received. Our ordinary
and reasonable service to God may actually compete against our total
surrender to Him. Our reasonable work is based on the following argument
which we say to ourselves, “Remember how useful you are here, and think
how much value you would be in that particular type of work.” That
attitude chooses our own judgment, instead of Jesus Christ, to be our
guide as to where we should go and where we could be used the most.
Never consider whether or not you are of use— but always consider that
“you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). You are His.
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