Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 NIV
My seventh grade English class took place in a portable classroom trailer. The room was sparsely decorated because it was seen as a temporary space used only when enrollment increased. Situated near the parking lot, there was a grassy patch behind it where some kids forged their way to coolness by smoking cigarettes before the 8 AM start bell.
A long sidewalk from the portable led into the junior high school. Back in the icy winters before parents sued schools for negligence, many students, myself included, took terribly embarrassing falls in front of their snickering classmates. It was in such a place that I first heard I should use my life for writing.
I remember the pride I felt as my teacher encouraged me and told me how she felt inspired by the words I wrote. She said I should really consider being a writer. I remember this place, these words, and the experience in that room vividly. But, I did not go on to pursue writing. Although I loved books, I had never met an actual writer who could model the career for me. In the world I lived in, business careers were the path to follow for success. So that I did.
I worked at having it “all”, but never felt like I did. I worked for big corporations, started a consulting business, and taught marketing classes at a university. I got tired of trying to keep it all together, so I changed course and became a stay-at-home mom. Life got easier in some ways and harder in others. While I was no longer stressed about finding care for my children, I found myself missing the learning, recognition, and challenges of the work place. But, I pushed that emotion aside and forged ahead, concentrating on my two young tasks at hand.
My two tasks are grown now. The youngest left for college this fall. For the first time in a long time, I find myself wondering what lies ahead for me.
Do you ever feel a yearning to do something that you do not know how to start or how you will ever finish? A yearning that stays with you through the years even though it gets blanketed with other responsibilities and false ambitions.
Have you ever stopped long enough that the clutter of your life clears, and you feel this desire that repeats itself like the beats of your heart? And, you know that ignoring it any longer will leave you feeling unfulfilled.
That is where I am, and it is why I write. Deep inside all of us lies a gift waiting to be shared. Do you know what it might be for you? What is the unique way only you can share it?
Perhaps, in a moment you are overtaken and write a heartfelt letter. You create something beautiful on a canvas or in your garden. You cook something so fabulous you claim your tastebuds can sing. You connect the dots for a winning deal or keep researching a problem until you find a solution that makes sense. Maybe you explain a concept to a child in a way that you can see the light of understanding click on in their brain. These moments are God’s glimpse into the gifts we are meant to seek out and share.
We may not feel qualified, but like my seventh grade English teacher, God encourages you and waits for you to unearth your gifts. He is ready to open the door for you and to light your path. Knock, wait for the door to open and the light to shine in. Take the first slow step outside and begin the walk with him.
Prayer for This Week:
Lord, help me listen for your voice in all that I do so that I may identify my gifts and know how to use them to work good in the lives of others. Give me the confidence I need to display these gifts to the world. Lead me when I am too scared to follow. Remind me to humbly bestow the glory of my work upon you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Additional Scriptures to Apply:
Psalm 119:105 NIV
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Matthew 19:26 NIV
Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
Questions for This Week:
What activity or talent in your life causes you to lose track of time while you are busy doing it? When do you feel like you are working for a purpose greater than your own? How can you use your gift to help someone else in a way that works well with the other demands of your life?
Note: The photo used in this post is a free online image, not my own.