5 Truths about God and Works

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

 

I didn’t know much and they seemed to know a lot. They seemed to hear from God and I was not yet convinced I could. So, I listened to them.

So Much To Do

When I became a Christian I saw a lot of work and little time. We attended a Bible believing church where people suggested places I could serve. “You would be great for_____.” I served but wasn’t always convinced I was the right person for the work.

As I gained some Bible knowledge of my own I came to understand that if I wasn’t comfortable with a suggestion that it was probably because the Holy Spirit was letting me know that it was not the work for me. When I felt peace, was even excited about a work, then that was the Holy Spirit confirming the call even though it might be a little scary.

Training Time

After Paul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus and clearly heard the Lord’s conviction that he had been persecuting God’s people, God gave him a training time. Galatians 1 says  that the Lord took Paul to Arabia for three years before he started his ministry to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

Three years of training before he did what we would consider “meaningful” work.

I look back now and see that God had me in a training time. I was hearing good preaching from the Word of God. I was hungry for teaching and read a lot . I had a tiny faith and so I relied more on others than I did on the Holy Spirit to guide me in my work for the Lord.

Here are 5 truths I learned during that time.

• God does have a work for every Christian to do.
• He is rarely (if ever) in a hurry. He will train us before sending us out to work.
• He is willing and able to make it clear to His people what He expects. He does this through His Word and His Holy Spirit at work in us.
• He is trustworthy to give us whatever knowledge, skills, and resources we need to perform any work He calls us to.
• He will confirm a specific call when we ask Him to.

 

Sometimes, other people want their work to be your work. Maybe it is. The peace that passes understanding may be one way to know. Asking God to tell us is another. He is faithful in answering our sincere desire to know what His work is for us.

We can certainly listen to the counsel of wise men and women, brothers and sisters in the Lord, but ultimately we must listen to God Himself. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of His Spirit living in us, we can trust God to lead us where He wants us to serve.

I can’t tell you where or how to serve, but I can tell you this:  He wants us all to serve. (Deuteronomy 10:12, Romans 12:11)   Will you ask Him which work is yours?