Doing While Waiting

Every christian I know—and even many non-christians—struggle with finding that one thing; perhaps God's purpose for us, or just finding that thing that makes our hearts giddy, or finding the perfect career. And that's okay. That's wise, to be honest. Personally, I have been struggling too. The greatest battles are indeed fought in the mind. I have wondered over the years what my true passion is, I have sought to know what God created me for. I have tossed and turned on many a nights. I have been restless and I have felt lost too many times. I have looked on with a little bit of envy at people so certain about their true calling, and wondered why I just could not have a light bulb moment, or maybe a flashing light from above, while I stood in vast waters and listened to an angel give me a list of my calling. More recently,  I have also had to make decisions, and again felt saddled with a responsibility of making important choices.



You know what recently occurred to me though, we are doing it wrongly. Yes, we are. We think God's purpose is something that looks like a list of duties for one lifetime. When God's purpose unfolds over the course of a lifetime. God created us to glorify his name and to spread the good news of his name. Your service to God is beyond, way beyond a special calling or duty, your service to God is in allowing yourself, allowing your life to "unfold as you connect with Jesus". Your service to God is loving your parents. Your service to God is loving your spouse the way Christ loves the church. Your service to God is to Love God undoubtedly through your neighbor, through your friend, and yes, through your enemy. Tricia Goyer said God's will is not following specific tasks, God's will is knowing his heart and stepping out to serve as you feel him leading you at the moment. She said it was way beyond marching orders, but rather staying connected to God.



Now, what about my job? What about my career? What am I supposed to do? Those are valid questions too, and that's the major reason for this post. I am not going to ask you to make a list of the things that excite you, or a list of your passion (believe me, even I wonder what the heck my passion is!). Not that those don't matter, they sure do.  But Matthew 25 (beginning from verse 14) taught me something. The parable of the talents, which was one of Christ's way of explaining the kingdom of heaven. It was also another proof that God does care what we do with our lives while on earth. The man in the parable was traveling to a far away country and he gave talents (golds/silver) to each servant according to his ability. Note that, each was bestowed with talents according to his ability. God will never give you more than you can handle.

"I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much." - Mother Teresa.

Now, something else struck a chord in that chapter.  As soon as the man gave talents/gold/silver to the three servants, NIV version says the servants who received five and two golds respectively went at once to put the money to work. Take not of the phrase went at once.

See, they did not sit down and brood. They didn't wake up every night wondering, what does my master want me to do with these talents eh? They got to work immediately. The third servant did nothing. Absolutely nothing. He did not even make attempt. So what should happen while you're waiting for God to tell you what to do, or while you're waiting to figure out what you want, DO. Keep doing. Just keep working. Go at once, and work with what you have. Learn a trade, get a job, work your butt off at that job, go to school, teach others, what ever, just DO. Be restless. Like I told my friend M, while doing, you may not find exactly what you want, but best believe you WILL find what you do not want. At least that way one thing is checked off the list of what you don't want.

That passage was a jolt back to reality for me. I had spent days brooding too. I had been restless, and I had ignored my sister when she said "why don't you just sleep over it instead of trying to figure everything NOW." But I am naturally impatient, so all that fell on deaf ears. My parents had cheered me on, but I refused to believe them and instead just sulked, because I "wasn't sure what next". Reading those verses though, I got back up and started to DO.

You will never ever have it figured out at once, that's definite. If you could, who would want such a boring life anyway? haha. While you are waiting to figure it out however, remember to keep doing. Remember to be restless. Go on and conquer.

Love,
I

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