Stop Playing Baseball, Michael

I wasn’t in a great place. I was attending a prayer meeting with the pastors from my church, but wasn’t really praying for our gathered purpose. I was praying in anguish. I remember feeling God like God might be about to do something. I began to think things like: was my calling different? Did I miss something? I thought I was in my dream job… Why were things not rolling like I thought they would? It was at that moment, feeling these things, that God whispered something so clearly to my heart.

“Stop playing baseball, Michael.”

Instantly my mind flashed to an image of my 1994 signed Michael Jordan baseball that a board member had given me a few years back because in his words, “God had lead him to do so.”

(If you didn’t know, Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player ever. Baseball… not so much. In a decision that surprised everyone, Michael Jordan, after winning 3 straight NBA championships, took one season off to play minor league Baseball. He did ok. After, he went back to Basketball and won 3 more championships, back-to-back.)

At that time, I thought that this gift was pretty neat, but also super random. I of course accepted the generosity, and as it turns out, God had a message for me with that baseball that would be a few years in the making.

And so, flashforward, the message was entirely clear for me that day of the prayer meeting, “Stop playing baseball, Michael.”

To be honest my first thought was, “OK Jesus, if I you think of me as Michael Jordan in our relationship, that’s pretty freakin’ cool.” More importantly, I realized, God was giving me permission and encouragement to find my sweet spot in ministry.

I wasn’t doing terrible as a youth pastor. Michael Jordan wasn’t terrible at Baseball. He made the minors after hardly training! But God was telling me that where I was currently at, it wasn’t my sweet spot.

I wish it was that easy and the next day I found my perfect fit. But as we all know, it doesn’t work like that.

Today however, I can say, and perhaps it will encourage you, that I am doing work the Kingdom of God that I didn’t even vocabulary for five years ago. I didn’t know there was a place for me like this in Kingdom work. I want to encourage you that in today’s quickly changing world there will be more and more unique fits and opportunities to serve God in ministry. Keep pursuing God and pursuing using your unique gifts to serve God in ministry. Defy the tendency to stay in the field that was shown to you, and you’ll save yourself from accidentally playing in an arena that you are not gifted for.

I think Paul’s clear words 1 Corinthians 12:27 is a helpful reminder for all of us trying to find out our fit. A quick word of caution: one thing I have realized is that seeking 100% after your perfect vocational fit can become an idolatrous pursuit. Our perfect fit is with Christ, not our “sweet spot.” But take heart! There is a place you fit perfectly in the Body.

1 Corinthians 12:27 - “You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.”

Kyle Chalko