Have you ever walked past a group of people and heard just a snippet of their conversation to the point that it intrigued you to wonder what their life is like? Where are they going to right now? Where do they live? Will we ever walk past each other ever again? Maybe people do all the time, but this is the first time I have found myself doing this!
The world is full of amazing people, each one unique and gifted differently. We don’t have to look far to see God’s infinite creativity.
Created with Intention
I am not very creative in the traditional way of being able to draw or paint. But in my work, I sometimes have to explain complicated ideas, which I like doing in visual ways. Visuals can help the reader more easily understand difficult concepts. But often I am limited by time, a lack of creative ideas, and a lack of ability! It is frustrating when you have an idea in your head of how something should look but what you create doesn’t look like it at all!
God doesn’t have these limitations. He created you, and everyone who lives, has ever lived, and will ever live! Each of us is different. Each is made in His image. What amazing creativity to imagine and create everything from tiny ants to the planets and stars in galaxies far away.
He could have created you differently. Sometimes we long to be different from how we are. Yet we don’t really know what challenges would come with gifts we don’t have.
Continually Made New
God made you, and you can trust that He knows best. He called you because He loves you. He saved you, making you new in Christ.
So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
He placed you where you are with the talents you have and at this point in time and history. God has a plan and a purpose for your life. He has a job for you to do. You can be part of His plan of redemption, showing and telling the world of His great love.
It is really important that we get the order of this right. We are loved and saved by God not because we are good or do good things, but because He is good and loves us. We could never be perfect. We rely totally on Jesus to save us.
For those who have trusted in Jesus and are saved, God gives us the Holy Spirit who works in and through us, making us more like Christ. God’s love changes us. We want to do what pleases Him, and He changes our desires to be more like His. We want to do good works so that we can reflect God to the world around us.
So what are the good works God has called you to do?
I can’t answer that because it will change over time. But here are some good starting points to think through and pray about:
- What has God given me, and what abilities has He blessed me with? How can I use these to do good and point other people to God?
- What needs am I aware of in my family, neighborhood, church family, and in other places around the world? Can I use the skills or financial resources I have in order to meet those needs?
- Is there a ministry I’d love to be involved in? What is stopping me from joining it or starting it?
- Who has God placed on my heart? What opportunities do I have to do good for them?
- How can I take every opportunity to seek to do good wherever I am and whatever I am doing?
- What is my attitude like? Am I doing any good works because I feel I have to or for the praise of others, or am I joyful at the opportunity to be used by God to show love to others?
Pray and ask God for wisdom and discernment to know what is best. Ask Him to transform your heart so that you can love others lavishly as He has loved you.
God’s Good at Work
We can’t do everything. But we should be doing something! What we can do will also change over time. But if we have no desire to do good to others, the Apostle John calls into question whether we know God.
But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth. (1 John 3:17-18)
God calls us to be women of action, women prepared to sacrifice our time, our money, our homes, and our resources for the good of others. Women who seek Him first and are called to live differently in our homes, churches, workplaces, and communities. God has created us and prepared us for these good works! This is His plan for our lives.
You have the opportunity every day to do good for the glory of God. So ask God what good can I do today? He will show you.
And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works. (Hebrews 10:23-24)
