Be content with where God puts you

But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. – 1 Corinthians 7.17-20

I am preaching Sunday, Lord willing, from Psalm 139. One part of that beautiful psalm deal with the fact that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and fashioned just the way God made us. That being the case we don't have to try and be anyone else.

That applies to our everyday life, but I think it always applies to our ministries and our service.

I am not exactly sure how to address this. The context of the chapter seven is marriage and the permanency of marriage, but here in the middle of it Paul inserts a section about general contentment with where God puts us.  

I think there is a basic principle here. We need to be content with where God puts us. That doesn’t mean we never aspire to do better, but it does mean that we should be faithful and consistent in the tasks God gives us. We don’t have to be someone else in someone else’s ministry or service.

I am not sure I totally get this. I don’t think it means that we never change ministry or service, but I do think it means we need to be content and consistent and faithful at the task God gives us until He moves and directs us. Wesley put it this way in his notes – ‘In the calling - The outward state. Wherein he is - When God calls him. Let him not seek to change this, without a clear direction from Providence.’

I also like what Albert Barnes wrote. His idea is that we be content with where God puts us, then we gives three things to consider:

1. When a man is a slave, and he can obtain his freedom. (1 Corinthians 7.21)

2. when a man is pursuing a wicked calling or course of life when he was converted, even if it is lucrative, he should abandon it as speedily as possible.

3. where a man can increase his usefulness by choosing a new profession.

God knows what is best. I think we need to be very slow and careful and prayerful before we decide to change our position in life.

Maybe I have this all wrong, I have been wrong more times than I have count. But I do remember years ago when I had my ‘Bethel Bench’ experience where I sat on a blue wooden bench and begged God to let me change my service and, as clear as if He spoke to me verbally, He let me know that He would let me know when it was time to change.

He hasn’t told me to do that yet. 

I have attached a clip from the film 'Facing the Giants.' I am not sure about all the theology involved, but I think it is a good summary for us and our place of service for the God who put us here.