I don’t know about you but I am guilty of missing God’s best because many times I am focused on an area that may not be my God-Given Gift set. Sometimes, either for the sake of convenience, or out of need, we are tempted to focus our efforts in areas which we were never intended to focus on.
Especially in times of economic tough times, we are inclined to take a job outside of our gift set just to provide for our family. There’s nothing wrong with that . . . as long as we realize that it is a temporary situation.
In Ephesians 4:16 the New Living Translation of the bible says: He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
I think a lot of us do this. As we move through life and follow our careers doing the things wear are specially gifted by God to do . . . are passionate about, we learn a lot of skills that are simply a by-product of doing what we are specially gifted by God to do. Example, as a business owner, I have learned to keep my financial records in pretty good order . . . at least until I plug them into my taxman at tax time. Does that mean that I should start up a new business as an accountant? Heavens no!
You see, my God-given gift is for running a business, not keeping financial records. Does that make sense? Oh I can do a passable job at bookkeeping but, the scripture says “As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow.” If I am focusing my time and energy doing something that God hasn’t particularly gifted me for . . . that I have no passion for, I am out of my Passion Zone . . . and consequently, I am missing the goodness of the passion that God has built in to each one of us. I am frustrated because it isn’t how I was gifted and it is unnatural for me to be do this at least at this level.
It’s difficult for me to help the others grow when I am focused on trying to be an expert at something I was never intended to be an expert in in the first place. Does that make sense?
It can take a lot of focus and time to figure out what God has designed us for. But it is much easier to go the opposite way . . . to figure out areas where you have no passion . . . that you could probably do if you had to. These are the areas where we need to minimize our focus. This process will help us to surface the areas we are specially gifted in and are passionate about.
When we are doing something that we are ho-hum about . . . we may be doing Good for God and His kingdom. When we are doing what God has specially gifted us for . . . we are giving our Best for Him and His kingdom!
A resource for helping you discover your special gifts and talents which my wife Kris and I have found to be very helpful is a book by Eric Reese “S.H.A.P.E.”.
As always thank you for reading! Let’s not settle for the Good that God has given us, let’s find our passion and discover the Best that He has for us and in so doing help God’s kingdom grow as well as our own contentment!
Blessings!
Our Walk of Faith 