I don’t know about you, but so often my prayers are simple, mundane even. Yet, God calls us to come boldly before the throne. It often seems that my bold prayers are on behalf of someone else, rather than myself. When Kate Battistelli and I chatted on Your Hope-Filled Perspective podcast [click here to listen: How to Jump Out of Your Comfort Zone and Dare with God – Episode 99], she shared how she came to the place that she took God up on His “God dare” and began a life of praying boldly. Today she shares more to encourage us to do big things for God or live a quiet life that pleases God.
Read to the end for a book giveaway!
Living a Quiet Life: Living in the Extraordinary Ordinary
By Kate Battistelli
I want to do big things for God, leave a legacy, and live a life of impact. But is it necessary to do big things for God or is it better to do small things with great love and see where God takes it?
Jesus calls us to be salt and light, to live a life well-seasoned and walk a path well-lit so others will follow. But what if the path He gives me is the obscure path…the quiet, gentle path? Does that match up with what Christian culture tells me I should want? Are you living the unknown but faithful life in the small sphere? The scriptures below explain what I mean:
“…That we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:2-4
“…That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Hmm…a quiet and peaceful life that pleases God and draws others to the truth. A life that lacks nothing, but leaves a pleasant fragrance behind and is an example to the unbelievers all around us. It sounds like a behind-the-scenes, obscure life to me. But it sounds like a God-Sized God dare and a world-changing life too.
In this generation of online notoriety, YouTube sensations, Facebook likes, Instagram follows and striving for our 15-minutes of fame, who among us is content to lead a quiet life? We are compelled to “go into all the world” and to do big things for God. We aren’t encouraged to lead quiet lives because we mistakenly think those kinds of lives have no impact. But we couldn’t be more wrong.
Our culture is over-saturated with a “look-at-me” mentality. We think it’s necessary to go and do and achieve when really, all we need is to live like Christ, to live the beautiful ordinary in the everyday.
Jesus did the simplest of things and imbued them with meaning and deep importance. He washed feet, healed the blind with mud and spit, fed thousands with bread and fish, lived, ate and slept among a small band of men who decided to follow His example. He started with twelve simple men and utterly turned the world upside down.
What if we lived a look-at-me life in the ordinary, day after day sphere, sprinkling salt and shedding light to our families, co-workers, and neighbors? What if the God-Sized dare God has for you doesn’t involve numbers and followers, stats and likes, beyond your family and neighborhood or workplace and church?
Can that be enough? Does Jesus get to pick? If He says, “Follow me into obscurity and live faithfully,” will it be okay?
Living in the Extraordinary Ordinary
As the world grows darker by the year, our simply living and loving like Christ grows more and more extraordinary every day.
- It takes extraordinary dedication to raise your children year after year to know God, to love Him and follow Him all their lives.
- It takes extraordinary determination to fight for your marriage when the world says give up and move on.
- It takes extraordinary faith to give to others unselfishly expecting nothing in return.
- It takes extraordinary diligence to work at your job faithfully and honestly, unto the Lord and not unto men.
- It takes extraordinary love to maintain your stance year after year yet as your light shines brighter and your salt seasons more effectively, you change the world in your obscure little corner of the world.
- It takes extraordinary perseverance to serve a sick child or aged loved one year after year without complaint.
- It takes extraordinary love to bless those who curse you, to pray for those who’ve hurt you, to forgive the ones who’ve despitefully used you.
- It takes extraordinary discipline to not give in to what the world calls good when you know it’s bad.
- It takes extraordinary compassion to love your neighbor and serve him whether he’s Muslim or Hindu, trans-gender or divorced, straight or gay without judging or trying to convert him but simply loving the way Jesus loved.
Those are God-Sized God dares each of us are called to.
The attributes that may be ordinary for you–courage, fortitude, faithfulness, generosity, and diligence–look extraordinary to those who are watching.
And believe me, they are watching.
A God-Sized God Dare
Some of you will be called to big ministries with big impact, where your names will be known and your ministries large. But most of us won’t. We will labor in obscurity but not without the ability to change the world around us. We will live in the small sphere and watch our quiet, obscure lives affect eternity.
Those who follow us–our children, neighbors, co-workers, and friends–will see our light and taste our salt and want to know why we have peace in the midst of trials. Why we have faith when chaos rules. How are we able to live with courage and not fear when everything tells us to be afraid of the future, and how we’re able to love the unlovable and serve the unworthy.
That’s a God-Sized God dare I can wrap my head around.
What God-sized dare are you being called to? We’d love to hear in the comments below.
About Kate Battistelli
Kate Battistelli is living proof God can and will use anyone if they’re willing. Kate experienced infertility, miscarriage, an abortion at age 18, and four failed adoption attempts, which all wreaked havoc in her life. Back in the ‘80’s, Kate had a life-changing experience as a young actress in New York City, going from understudy to starring as Anna in the Broadway National Tour of The King and I opposite Yul Brynner for more than 1,000 performances. Kate and her husband laid down their careers and the Broadway theatre in answer to their first “God dare” and moved out of New York City and into a life of homeschooling and a home business. As their daughter Francesca grew and began expressing her gifts in music and songwriting, they realized there was a far bigger purpose in leaving their careers than they could’ve imagined. Kate is the mother of DOVE and GRAMMY award-winning Christian recording artist Francesca Battistelli.
Book Giveaway!
In conjunction with this post and the podcast interview How to Jump Out of Your Comfort Zone and Dare with God – Episode 99, Kate Battistelli is giving away a free copy of her book, The God Dare.
Leave a comment below sharing with us one thing you learned about living the quiet life and you will be entered into the contest.
You could also share this blog post on Facebook or Twitter then comment here to tell us where you shared it and you’ll also be entered into the drawing.
The winner will be selected at random and announced next Monday, March 15, 2021, here on this post. Continental United States only.
As I read through Kate’s blog message I realized, she is talking about my life. When we began our ministry in 1999 we had no idea what the Lord had planned. We didn’t know if we would be well known for our work or if we would just go through the day to day opportunities of ministry keeping God’s appointments and fulfilling His desires one step quietly at a time. Now I see that we have led a quiet obedient life of loving like Jesus loved and YES, it is OK that our name is not in LIGHTS and that people KNOW who we are because I have journals of so many stories of God dare encounters that I could write a book. So Kate and Dr. Michelle, Father has revealed the impact of our quiet extraordinary life that has touched so many for the Kingdom of God and Father continues to tell us that He is pleased with both of us. I dearly love the podcast you two did last week and I love this message too. Thank you! I will share this on FB and would love your book, Kate.
How wonderful, Karen! I love that you’ve been doing what the Lord has been asking you to do and impacting lives in your own quiet but extraordinary way! Bless you!
I’m so thankful for this post!
Having grown up in the church and serving in many ways for many many years, both “big” and small, I had a hard time when we moved away and my “big” involvement in the church stopped.
In saying all of this, our life looks different than it use to. It’s a more “quiet and peaceable life”, not in the forefront of the church any more. Still serving others for Him in love with a greater understanding of His unconditional love, seeing Him do “big” things in the little things.
What greater love could shared?
What stood out most to me were the “extraordinaries.” I need these “extraordinarily ” for sure! I pray so very often for God’s extraordinary strength…perseverance..encouragement..you name it. It’s so very difficult to pray for those that hurt you intentionally, to bless when you are cursed, to work in a very demanding job without complaining. It’s not what I want to do…but it is what I end up doing. Thank you for those reminders. I screen shot them and should write them on my hands and arms and legs….LOL ..so I can be reminded every day! We know these things in our hearts and minds but alot of time when I’m “in the situation “….the things I should remember seem to go right out the door.
Thank you for your challenge and reminders
Paula Johnson
Exactly, Lesa. Thank you for continuing to serve others in a quiet way and watch Him take it and do “big” things! Bless you!
This book sounds great! I really struggle with feeling like I should be doing “great” things as opposed to appreciate serving in the small, everyday ways.
Lauren, simply obey Him and serve however He leads you and you will be fine! You may end up doing great things for Him, you never know!
I enjoyed the words that endorsed the meaning of the Scripture to live a quiet and godly life. It is my aim to live simply and have an impact on my sons and their children. It is a great honor to be a grandmother and follow the progress of my grandchildren. They are my legacy and I’m thrilled to be able to show God’s love through my actions and involvement in their lives. I don’t have great speaking abilities, but I do have a love for writing and reading that has given me much pleasure and hope I can pass on good books and loving messages to friends, family and neighbors. Thank you for validating my “quiet” lifestyle as I continue to love God and follow His ways.
Amen, keep doing what you’re doing. I’m sure you’re a blessing to your grandchildren and friends and neighbors!
strength
I read The God Dare when it was released and it was such a faith-building book! I hope many respond to the giveaway for it is a book we all need to read and reread.
Thank you, Joanne, blessings to you!