Mother Theresa came from nowhere (Albania) to become the
most influential woman on planet Earth. Presidents and
leaders and Popes stood in line for an hour of her time.
It was inevitable: "The eyes of the LORD rove
throughout the world for someone committed to God"
She made several important vows:
Made a vow to refuse God nothing
If God imparts Himself fully to us, could we do otherwise?
Do His bidding without delay
Vowed to keep the little things: always honor people, clean up after them, go to end of the line, etc.
If you were God, whose world had gone to shambles, but who
insists on using people, who would you pick? Someone with carte blanche yieldedness.
Are you showing up on God's radar? Would God pick you?
After a dozen years, God told her to spend her life serving
the desperate poor in Calcutta, living with them in quietness.
How would we react? Mother Theresa was elated!
What would you do when God taps you on the shoulder?
At Summit 2000, had people wave a white flag of surrender if they were fully yielded to God.
People who were committed to God reported that they
received a new assignment from God. There seemed to be a
correlation between yieldedness and getting an assignment from God.
Others did not do what God wanted because of money,
ego, comfort, security. There are not happy stories.
Always say yes to God
After she said yes to God, the next six months were really
frustrating--her superior, Father V---, didn't think it was a good
idea. She vision-casted him in many meetings. Other
nuns spread a rumor that she had romantic attraction to him.
When the obstacles came:
did I make this up? What am I willing to give
up? How long am I willing to wait? Do I believe God
can change hearts?
This period will
happen. Can't just bail on it, nor can you bulldoze through
it.
Father V--- eventually let her appeal to the archbishop,
who turned her down. She continually wrote letters to him.
Eventually she just said "I don't care if I die, just let me
go." This point is when the leader is ready. Took
1.5 years.
Need to
wait as long as it takes. Weeks, months, years.
Just need to outpray the opposition. Callings are
precious commodities--we may only get one of them in a lifetime,
sometimes more.
She was relentless in pursuing God's work. She
learned to hire, fire, to manage, to lead.
Had long periods where she didn't feel God's love and
companionship and warmth. Was really frustrated.
But she said, "even though I don't feel god's love, I will
love Him like He has never been loved."
But every day she sought to love God and do His work.
When she became unexpectedly famous in her later years, she
fought off the corrosive effects of fame. [notes end]
[Bill Hybels called for people to pray with him and tell
God they were fully committed to Him.]