I was talking with a professor this week, and some of my Talbot community peeps in recent weeks. It seems as though I hear God asking me to open my eyes to the things in my life. The messages, the classes, the things I learn in and out of the classroom.
I had one professor share that roughly 1 % of the world’s population gets a college education. Following that logic, I’m gonna guess that even fewer than that get the opportunity to attend a higher level of learning than that.
Which means I’m pretty blessed. More than I even know. More than I’ve really realized. Which starts to sound an awful lot like me being given talents, but not just yet utilizing them to the best of my ability. In some ways, that’s okay—I’m still learning and growing. But that poses the question: What will I do from today forward? How can I be faithful with all this information, knowledge, wisdom and so much more that I get blessed with? Will I handle it appropriately? Will I blow off stuff in order to “have fun” because I’m young and single? Or will I be dedicated to absorbing these blessings responsibly and faithfully so I can turn around someday and use them to impact someone’s life as God gives me opportunity? The more I think of handling my blessings responsibly the more in awe I am of God and what He gives. Am I a good steward of what I’m learning? In some way, I hear God asking me if I will handle correctly what he gives me now. Will I be a good steward with what I’m given at this place in my life? Will I make the changes that He asks of me, even though it means disrupting patterns and relationships and boundaries? Make no mistake, action is required. Will I have the courage to respond appropriately? How can he trust me with more if I cannot faithfully act on what he gives me now? So hard. So good. All that to say that sometimes being faithful hurts.
I change. I grow.
I’m not who I used to be.
And there are times I’m acutely aware of that even from one day to the following.
Hopefully we’re all on that transformation ride. Hopefully we are all being faithful to what God teaches us and shows us, even when it stings a little, or even when it hurts a whole heck of a lot. There is a part of me that thinks, “Yeah God, I want to do things your way. I want to serve you. Even when it hurts. Help me be faithful to use what you put in my hands and life.” That is hard for me because I’m aware that there is cost involved. In saying “yes” to God, I say “no” to something else. And maybe it wasn’t even a bad something else (and sometimes it was a horrendous something else) but there it is: Will I serve God today or will I not?
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.” 1 Tim 6:12
“ I sought the LORD and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:4-5
