“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV)
When I was a teenager, I distinctly remember thinking, “I will never become a teacher.” I had no clue what I wanted to do in life, but I knew it would not be that! It wasn’t until my junior year in high school when a teacher helped me to discover a love for literature. After feeling led to major in English, I decided that I would teach English to high school students in order to share my love of literature to others.
It’s ironic how the thing I promised I would never do ended up becoming my profession — and it has been for some time now. The more I think about it, the more I realize that God knew I was meant to work within the lives of students. That initial disgust for teaching turned into a great passion, not just because I loved what I was teaching, but also because my students became a part of my life. I didn’t realize that I would thoroughly enjoy investing into the lives of teenagers, but God knew that all along.
Sometimes we initially think a calling on our life is not God’s best or it’s not even the one we want. We may automatically turn our nose up at the thought of it, not looking at the bigger picture. God knows what we’re capable of doing, what we’re good at, and what will most glorify Him. He can see those things that we may not initially see. So before dismissing that potential job offer you don’t want or that suggestion that you should lead a certain ministry you don’t want to lead, pray about it. Perhaps this is of God. Perhaps you aren’t realizing that He can see something you can’t.
Dear Lord, open my eyes to what You want for my life. Please don’t let anything I desire hinder me from Your best for me. Amen.
Take Action
Instead of automatically saying no to something you’re not interested in doing, spend some time in prayer. Prayerfully consider if this might be God’s will for your life.