Where do I fit in?

Sunday’s Monday

Where do I fit in?

A note to the reader: Please, know that the I, me, we, you, they, them etc. are used to convey the insights with-in this writing. As you read this or any other learning information, it should always be in the first party tense to gain a sense of personal ownership. When I write these spiritual devotions I use the first party tense (a lot) because I am writing on my discoveries or revelations and pray that you will personalize these as yours.

Where do I fit in? I have heard and read that God has a plan for each of us and yet I don’t really know exactly where or if I even fit into that plan. This seems to be the elephant in the room as it is a real, true question which one may never openly ask. It’s an emptiness which dwells inside most Christians and because of pride, embarrassment or low self-esteem, we seriously never deal with this issue. Somehow through God’s grace we suffer through our pain never realizing the joy in knowing our part in God’s plan. God tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (NLT), 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages. 29 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? 30 Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.

Now here’s the rub (if you will), (say it out loud as it is written) I must earnestly desire, seek and use the most helpful gift or gifts that God has given me. I remember the Christmas that mom and dad gave me a bicycle, which became the most valuable thing I owned at that time and even though it was beautiful to look at, the real joy came after I learned to ride it. Some how we all fit into this scenario of owning something we’ve never learned to enjoy. We realize that we’ve received something valuable (God’s Gifts), but we never do anything with it or them and which causes a deep unrest within our spiritual being. The bible reminds us in 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT), For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Please; take time to come back to this paragraph and meditate on it for a while. We (being honest) should see the need for a long conversation with Jesus, as to who I am in Him and what gift(s) would He have me desire at this point in my spiritual development.

While we’re on this subject, all you Jesus Followers that think you have found your niche in God’s plan, could be mistaken. You see our fit may change as we grow, mature and better understand the will of God. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 (NLT), 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Today one may be gifted to serve behind the scene as a student and later to lead a bible study and so on. Just as our energy in high school is applied to seeking the best path to an adult career so it is with our spiritual man. Once we have been born again, we must grow in the will and ways of God. Seeking through great desire what He would have us to be and do at this very moment.

I believe that, one of the greatest injustices of today is that of comparison living! I was not created to be a Billy Graham or an Apostle Paul and that does not make me less than. You see “if” we are truly part of the body of Christ, which comes from being born again. We are! EQUAL in the eyes of God! We are each as important as the other as we all have an individually unique task to fulfill. To enforce what I believe read Galatians 3:28 (NLT), There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. I can only speak for myself, but I have no desire to anything other than what God has ordained me to be. However, I will confess, I have not always had this opinion and was miserable, however my life improved greatly once I received God’s wisdom of contentment. I heard an old time say, it’s better to be a door keeper in heaven, than a king in hell and I often thought of that man while cleaning the restrooms at church.

To help answer the question of, where do I fit in God’s plan, check out 2 Peter 1:5-8 (NLT), 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s up to us, God is not a pusher or a maker, He communicates His directions to us “through study, prayer and meditation” so that our desire will best suit the task He has for us today. It may help to know that your spiritual abilities will only equal the dedication of your desire to serve God. Where I fit is dictated by the potter as I am merely the clay which He has formed to fit His purpose!

I pronounce this blessing over you; 23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. 25 Dear brothers and sisters pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss. 27 I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters. 28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 (NLT).

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

COMMENTS WELCOME…pal249@hotmail.com…09/22/2019