As a society, we’re so quick to jump on the bandwagon of a trend instead of walking in the lane, calling and purpose that was designed just for us.
We’d rather have someone else do the heavy lifting of initiating instead of going on a journey to transform ourselves into the person who was created to SUSTAIN that initiation.
Before I knew that I was created to strengthen children & their families, I thought my passion for owning a childcare facility was my purpose. I loved children & always knew I could do things waaaayyy better than the available childcare options.
BUT EVERY TIME I GOT CLOSER TO THE GOAL, LIFE KNOCKED ME 20 STEPS BACK
It didn’t occur to me until after additional credentials had been received and I was in my last semester of prerequisites, that I realized what I was calling my purpose was actually the procrastination of me not wanting to deal with my pain. So I listened to all the “experts and gurus” (this was before the trend of Instagram influencers) and did all the things the best of the best said I needed to do to accomplish my goal. I went back to school and received credentials that I thought would make me APPEAR more qualified.
But man was I wrong. Had it not been for me starting my intentional journey and seeking a complete transformation for myself, I’m pretty sure I would’ve had that Evan Almighty type of calling.
I LOVE movies and will watch my favorite ones whenever they come on. No matter how many times I’ve seen it. Evan Almighty is no exception. It amazes me every time I watch it, how similar it is to my journey through Gods’ process.
Last year was definitely one of crazy faith, lesson learning, process trusting, and foundation laying for me, and I can honestly say, I’m becoming who I was created to be. All it took was years of me being in my own way (instead of days/weeks like Evan) and the faith and obedience to follow Gods’ will.
So as I watched the movie for the hundredth time over the weekend, I noticed 11 ways that our callings/purposes are just like Evan Baxter’s (there was really like 20+ but for the sake of reading, I kept it at 11).
Your real calling/purpose comes when it seems inconvenient
In the movie, Evan had just gotten promoted to congressman when God began speaking to him. He was able to discern very quickly what was going on but tried to convince himself that there was a mistake. When God told me my real purpose was to help parents and not just children, I thought there was some sort of mistake. I thought I heard God wrong. My lane was kids…not adults. Or so I thought.
God will position you before he calls you (Your position matters)
It wasn’t until Evan was a congressman that God gave him the revelation. Why? Because without the position & favor from God, the assignment isn’t effective. As much as I despised starting my entrepreneurship journey in my home as a home childcare provider back in 2017, it’s truly positioned me to fine-tune my practices, systems, and myself. Looking back, I know that this journey was a necessary step in God’s process of pruning the parts of me that won’t help me sustain His vision.
No matter what you do, you can’t get rid of purpose/your calling
Evan kept shaving his facial hair off but it kept growing back in a matter of seconds, giving him more of the appearance of Noah. I remember trying to bargain with God during the early stage of being called. Only giving Him pieces of my life to work with, like I was doing Him a favor. LOL, I was so foolish to think that I could ever outsmart God. So I eventually submitted to His will and purpose for my life and haven’t looked back (I’ve fallen a few times, but I haven’t thought about going back to who I used to be).
Just because it doesn’t look the way we want it to, doesn’t mean that God isn’t answering our prayers.
In my experience, GOD will have a personal encounter with the people who are MEANT to travel with you. Hubby used to look at me sideways when I told him what God had called me to do. He didn’t understand the amount of hard work that would be required to obtain and sustain what God had purposed me to do. But now he gets it (sort of lol). Although reluctant at times, he has seen and experienced God enough to know that He will always provide for us.
God will give you what you need when you put the work in
As soon as God told Evan to build the ark, he immediately thought he needed more than what he already had to do it. Now I can only imagine how much blood, sweat, and tears really go into building an ark. But one thing that keeps sticking out to me is the fact that God didn’t throw down a pre-built ark! And oftentimes, that’s exactly what we look for when we pray for something. We expect pre-built arks. Something that God will just throw down from heaven, right into our laps, and we won’t have to work for any of it.
When Evan’s family came back and the animals pitched in to help, he finally realized he already had everything he ever needed. God literally gave Evan the materials and provided him with the provision when he started moving in the right direction. Similar to the movie, it wasn’t until I moved out of my own way and allowed God to work through me, that I saw the provision that only He can give.
There’s a deadline to your assignment
For some reason, we like to think that God will give us a lifetime to complete the purpose/calling that He has placed over our lives. My favorite quote is one by Bishop Rosie O’neal that says “Procrastination is the arrogant assumption that God will give you another chance in the future to do something He called you to do today..”
In the movie, God appeared to Evan via a weather forecast and told him when the flood would occur. That meant the ark needed to be completed before that time. What is God calling you to do right now?
We try to cover up our calling with the world’s expectations
When Evan was first given the clothes that God wanted him to wear, he thought he could put his work clothes over them, and no one would notice. But he was shocked to see that his work clothes disappeared and his God-given clothes reappeared.
Eventually if you don’t step into your calling, it will disrupt your life
The animals that were assigned to Evan, to board the ark, interrupted the Congress meeting and stood next to him. When there’s a calling on your life, God doesn’t care what you’re in the middle of or what you’re plans are. They’re are people who are assigned to you and waiting on you to move!
God has a purpose attached to your calling, and the things you’ve prayed for will be produced from it.
After Evan learned the importance of family time, he didn’t remain Noah. He had become the person he was created to be and no longer needed the persona of Noah.
It’s not about you
I learned this the hard way. I thought God wanted to give me the desires of my heart for me. For my happiness and what I thought was peace. But I’ve learned that it’s not about me! God doesn’t care if my family has a hefty bank account or a big home, unless I’m going to use it for His kingdom and His people. When parents started asking for my help with everything from overcoming negative mindsets and getting through infidelity, to potty training their toddler and raising a special needs teenager, I knew there were lives attached to the purpose God gave me. And just like in the movie, when it started to finally rain, not only did the animals that were assigned to Evan get into the ark, but everyone who doubted him was able to be rescued too.
BONUS: God is faithful!
Even at the last minute when it looks like nothing’s going right and you’re ready to give up, God will give you a sign that it’s not over. On the day of the flood, Evan didn’t think it was going to rain. But God showed up and showed out! I know it’s hard, but keep pushing! He’ll do the same for you.
What movies have you found to be similar to your journey of becoming or unbecoming?