My oldest daughter and I visited another college this weekend. As we drove home, we talked about our impressions of the school, whether it was a good fit for her. It led into deeper conversation, the kind where we talked about purpose and goals, visions and dreams. I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:12, “Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor 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 knows me now.”
We struggle so much of our lives trying to figure out who we are and what our purpose is. But God doesn’t want it to be that complicated. “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10).
We’ve been given good gifts from our good Dad for a good reason. We’re equipped to do the things He intends for us to do and to do them in such a way that we showcase His goodness and glory in every situation, in every circumstance.
Sometimes we make it harder because we think it’s prideful to acknowledge our talents and abilities. But the antidote to pride isn’t hiding or denying God’s good gifts. That’s like being given a stunning diamond and then sticking it in a drawer. God wants us to show off the gifts He’s given us – Look what my Dad gave me! God is praised when we tell others about the good things He’s given us.
The antidote to pride is humility, seeing ourselves rightly, as we really are. God doesn’t have any questions or doubts about who we are, what we can do, or what we will do. Nothing is hidden from Him. Not our shortcomings, but also not what He can and will do in and through us.
God wants us to know ourselves, who we are as His kids, who we were created to be. He gives us dreams and visions of who we will become and what we will do or achieve because He wants us to be confident in our calling.
Our gifts reveal God’s vision and purpose for us. He created us as masterpieces with a specific role or purpose in mind. You are no accident. You are not random or a whim. You are planned and handcrafted, knit together with infinite attention to detail. He hasn’t overlooked anything that you will need and He doesn’t give you an impossible task and then expect you to come up with the resources on your own.
His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3 AMP
Notice that it’s as we get to know God – personally, intimately, fully – that we’re equipped with everything we need to fulfill our unique role and position, to do what we were made for. To live fully and well showcases God’s glory and goodness. It pleases Him.
Our enemy would like us to stick our gifts in a drawer and never pull them out. He would prefer if we never realize who we are and what our purpose is because someone always loses when we hide our light. God’s intention is that we use His good gifts to bring His goodness to others, to help others grow “so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:16).
To work in harmony with God is a powerful thing, and therefore it’s an opposed thing. So at times it might be hard. But God promises that He’ll help us – “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). We can be certain that He won’t start something and then leave it unfinished. He won’t set us on a path and then forget about us. He will finish what He’s begun in us, and He will accomplish the work He set out to do through us, and it’s going to be glorious.
I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. Philippians 1:6