Ephesians 4:11-13 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (NASB)
Finding satisfaction out of life can be one of the most difficult tasks we face. There can be many different roadblocks or speed bumps along the way which prevent us from pursuing our deepest desires. Working to put food on the table without regard for any satisfaction it may bring; living with the consequences of wrong choices made long ago; focusing on the accumulation of material wealth or perceived power among peers; and ignoring the inner voices which could be pushing us in a different direction are all factors which can cause us to miss out on feeling a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in life.
Today’s Scripture lesson speaks to this very issue. We were not created to be alike. There is celebration of diversity of gifts and talents, those special, natural abilities we have deep within us that are manifested through our careers, hobbies and passions which motivate us into action. Developing our abilities into skills, whether for trade or enjoyment, will accomplish several goals.
First, we will feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment and a certain enjoyment of the tasks which occupy our time. Often times I hear about people who are seek to belong, to mean something in the world and to feel as though they have accomplished something. Part of this void comes from keeping God at a distance, however, another part of this void stems from not developing or being prevented from developing our unique, natural abilities. You can see this arise in people who change careers multiple times and even in some who change spouses multiple times. There is a question deep within them about the source of ultimate satisfaction from life, and they chase after objects which may bring brief gratification but do not produce the deep feeling of accomplishment, meaning and belonging which they are really seeking.
Second, our yielding to the motivations and calls originating deep within us is our obedience to God. It is God who placed those special abilities within us, but it is us who must act on them and develop our abilities for the benefit of ourselves and those around us. Sometimes God calls us to a particular task or station in life, and we resist. Such is the case of some who refuse to become missionaries, run from a life in ministry, or object to performing tasks they think are either beneath them or out of reach. If God has gifted you in a certain way, He will provide a means for you to use your abilities. Often the journey is meant to prepare us to use our abilities in the greater plans and purposes God has for the world. A necessary part of these preparations is building our faith, trust and reliance on God. Difficult tests and trials will come our way, uncomfortable experiences that we would rather not go through. Without these tests and trials, however, our faith and trust in God will never grow deep. It is almost paradoxical to think that a tree needs the wind and storms to drive its roots deep, yet if it is never trained to push its roots deep into the soil, it will not reach the richest water and nutrients of the earth. As uncomfortable as they may be, difficult experiences are actually meant for our good and will some day lead to the richest development and use of our natural abilities.
Third, in our obedience to God by developing our abilities and putting them to use, we provide a benefit to people around us. More than this, in obedience to God we become a vessel for transmitting His glory in a broken world. God’s love for the world will radiate from us and through us. So many times I have heard of others and even felt myself that the greatest sense of accomplishment and satisfaction is found in serving people. Having an impact on someone else’s life is very fulfilling, especially when they are otherwise unable to do for themselves the act of service you just committed. This has been one of the greatest losses in today’s individualistic society and culture. Greed of money and desire for power have taken the place of any care for others. The survival and advancement of one’s own self takes precedence over helping others in need, often leading to profits from the exploitation of the defenseless. It should be no wonder that no sense of satisfaction and fulfillment is found in such a lifestyle. This type of individualism does not originate from God.
There is a fourth goal, which is not really a goal but more of something to be avoided because it leads to the loss of our satisfaction and fulfillment. Attempting to develop abilities which we do not have and which we were not given will cause us to feel out of place and perhaps even at times that we are like the proverbial square peg being hammered into a round hole. We can be left feeling empty and dissatisfied with what life has to offer. Aspiring to be something we are not actually serves to disobey and dishonor God.
I enjoy writing, and in my writing I find a great deal of release, satisfaction and enjoyment. I also enjoy being able to study God’s Word, the Bible, and conveying to people the truths I find. Although I have often thought that I should be a preacher, I believe that God has actually appointed writing skills to me, so that a much greater purpose can be accomplished. Both are laudable choices, writing to lead people into a deeper relationship with the Lord and preaching to convince and persuade. However, for me choosing to preach may actually be sin because it is not honoring the natural abilities God gave me and not reaching the people He intended to read my writings.
It should not be looked down upon if you perceive you are not in the position you would like to be. After all, the world would seem to favor great preachers over great writers. On the other hand, pursuing obedience to God and developing natural skills and abilities brings out the best in us, brings us a certain level of satisfaction, and yields the greatest harvest for God in a broken world. Our obedience will also yield a much deeper, more satisfying and fulfilling relationship with the Lord, both in this life and in the promised life to come.
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