Working Toward the Fire

“Now’s the time!” I thought. I wanted to write fiction, so I read books on writing fiction, wrote character sketches, and banged out 50,000 words in November, National Novel Writing Month.

Then, I got stuck. My scenes were not developing the way I’d like. My characters lacked guidance only the writer can give. Through this struggle, I began to wonder for whom I was writing, myself or God. An answer that has not yet come to light.

Still, I changed my path to writing devotionals, a process of reading the Bible, discerning its meaning, and praying my sentences convey a clear picture of that meaning. Now, whenever I publish a devotional on my website or on another, I feel like a planter of the seed of the gospel, like Paul, who preached salvation to the Corinthians. Like I am building on the foundation of Jesus.

Have you ever felt the same turn in your spiritual life, from stagnant water void of ripples to a body of water filled with swells? This shift occurs when, in faith, we serve God in the role he has created for us. By performing the vital role God designed for each of us, we please our Father and he blesses us. Yes, we still struggle, but our reward for fulfilling our role is much greater than the struggles.

Because our role in Christ is important, the sturdiness of our spiritual life matters. The effort we put into our role matters. Paul continues after our key verse, using a building metaphor for our life work, and urging us to build with quality materials, keeping in mind that there will be a day when all is revealed. Working toward the fire of Judgment Day reveals the strength of our work and shows whether we cared for God’s temple, our own selves. The fire exposes whether we served him in the role he created for us to the best of our ability according to his statutes. We are his servants, and with our best for him, he draws people near to him.

Lord, grant me the wisdom to strengthen my role on the foundation of Jesus. Guide my actions so I cause ripples in the water and show others the path to you. Draw these people near to you and save them.

Throughout this day: Consider your role in Christ and how to focus more on your role. Do you struggle to only plant or only water? What are you putting your efforts into? What changes can you make?