Just something you're good at?

Do you know that anybody can glorify God? From a little child to a elderly person, from a bagger to the hardcore businessman, from a fresh born-again believer to the strongly rooted apostle reaching thousands of souls in one evening. This means that you and I can glorify God, and in a way we already are. Let me explain…

I have glorified You down here on earth by completing the work that You gave me to do. John 17:4

…This about sums it up. These are the words Jesus spoke to His heavenly Father BEFORE He was arrested, hung on the cross, died, rose again and went home to be at the right hand of His Father forever. Jesus came as a baby to this world. His earthly father learned Him everything on becoming a carpenter, which by the way has a lot of creating in it. From a piece of wood He could create the most magnificent piece of furniture. This skill He needed in His ministry later on and He is still using it today, for we are that piece of wood. He went through the hard knock life as a human being just like you and I.

He will be eating curds and honey when He knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. Isaiah 7:15

When God created us, He already had a plan for our lives, “…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jer. 29:11b. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jer. 1:5. When You look at the disciple Peter, he learned fishing at sea, before Jesus made him a fisherman of people. Paul learned to build tents before he was used by God to build churches.

We all have talents and gifts that God wants to use here on earth and I believe also later on in heaven. God has given us work that He wants us to do. In Matthew 25 Jesus explains that when you have the assignment or talent, multiply it by practicing it. Grow in it, become an expert in it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a Ephesians 4:11 thing (Apostles, prophet, evangelist, shepherds, teachers). Do what you are good at and multiply that. And as you are growing in it, God is going to put people on your path that you can bless with that talent. And who knows, at some point God may ask you to put that skill into a ministry for the kingdom of God. But bear in mind that we are not robots here on earth nor in heaven later on. God wants us to live. He wants us to enjoy life within a righteous and heavenly culture. We need each other’s skills to make that possible. When you pick up on what God has placed in you to do, than you are glorifying Him and He will tell you: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”Matt. 25:23. He will bless the works coming from your hands, He delights in doing that.

God revealed this to me in the morning and I thought it was very encouraging. We all can feel so discourage at times, looking at some peoples ministries, thinking: ‘I wish I could do these things for you God. I feel like I fall short on You God.’ If you find yourself thinking those thoughts, I believe that this is His reply to you.

Note to parents…

 I think it is important for us to help children find this God given gift(s) early on. Satan is very busy attacking children and their parents, making sure that they won’t find these gifts and in that process also we as parents having trouble seeing it. I have seen many looks on parent’s  faces thinking what is to become of the child. As a mother I have plenty of moments where I have those thoughts. Where I find it difficult to look at my daughter and see her God given talent (or anything God given actually). It’s good to pray and talk this out with God. Ask Him to give you His eyes to look at your child. Ask Him to show you what divine talent He placed in your child and how you can be a part of developing it. Ask for grace, LOTS of grace to parent  your child. It has helped me a lot.

For myself, even though my mother gave me everything she could give me at that moment of raising my sister and me, this part is not that well developed in my childhood. As a adult I had to figure this part out and this is not an easy process. There is not much room to move in, to practice new things, to experiment, to make mistakes. There is a responsibility now, it’s not a game anymore. It is real life. That does not mean that it is impossible, just a bit harder. But when we are doing what we feel God has put in us, it builds us up. There is this feeling of satisfaction, wholeness, happiness.

I wonder what your talents are, how you developed it. I wonder what God is going to do with it. I pray God will bless the works of your hands, that He continues to help you grow in it and that it will be a blessing to many people around you. I pray that God will use the skills you picked up in life and use them powerfully to release His Kingdom here on earth. In Jesus name, amen.