What God Has Given You To Do

I was talking to my wife last night about the things God presently ordains us to do in this world.  Some of us are professionals of various kinds and our work is time consuming.  Others work in various kinds of services and our work is time consuming.  Still others work in different sectors and these jobs also are equally time consuming.  Each individual Christian who is employed in these various professions may find little time left over, at the end of the day, for things that he or she really wants to do.  God has gifted us, as believers, with a whole set of talents meant to be used to bring our Lord glory and honor.  I find that my greatest longing is to write by expressing myself through words.  I am not great at it, but I know I have improved over the years. Looking back to the stuff I wrote in my college days, is, how should I put it?  Just plain bad.  It is actually embarrassing to me!  But still I enjoyed it for what it was worth.  I have romantic notions about my writing - I won't deny it, but I was speaking to my wife about my insufficiency of being able to put in the time necessary to produce a properly researched piece because of time constraints.  Though I do not have a calling into the ministry, and I do not desire or seek it, my pastor's job is to spend time in the Word and to prepare to execute it well.  My job is to do offer quality service work for my customers.  So research necessary in order to write a well documented essay or paper takes me far more time than it would my pastor.  But I was saying that unless God would bless, it would be a very unwise thing for me to pursue it in the capacity I would need to.  For I have a large family to support and so I find my mind refocusing on what is important and necessary once 7 a.m. roles around.  My mind becomes distracted and desirous to "switch gears" because this is what God has given me to do and I do take pleasure in it - for I have many opportunities for evangelism.  At this point in my life, I would not be spiritually fulfilled doing anything else.  I am satisfied and excited what he has done through the work he has given me to do.  I said to my wife, that I thought I could put the time in necessary to do some good research, but God would have to bless and once he blesses, he also equips - exactly as he equips each Christian to perform his present job satisfactory - in order to bring him glory. 

-Joe