Where You Want to Be

 

I was thinking this week about how many people are not where they want to be. They may have talents or skills that are not being used, or desires that are not being fulfilled. I fall into that at times, feeling like my skills are being wasted staying at home not using them. Is that the right mindset to have? Should we pursue what we want or where our skills lie, or is there more to the equation?

 

Psalm 139:3, 13-16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways…

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

 

First it is important to remember that God knows each of us intimately. He made us with the gifts, talents and skills that we have. He knows what we are good at as well as the deepest longings of our hearts. More than that, we need to remember that He knows our future as well as our past and present, so He alone knows the best course for us to take and how each decision will play out.

 

Jeremiah 29:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’

Ephesians 2:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

 

Second, it is important to remember that we were each made with a specific purpose, a purpose set out by God Himself for each individual. Not only does He know how best to use us, but He knows the specific plans He has for each of us. They may align with our talents, but then they may not. Moses was gifted and taught in speech during his time in Pharaoh’s house, but God waited to use him until those gifts had been completely forgotten. Paul had been a tent maker, but God called him from that profession to be a missionary.

 

1 Corinthians 10:31 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Colossians 3:23 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,

 

Our ultimate created purpose is to glorify God. That is what all of creation was made for. So no matter what we do, we need to do it with that in mind, with that motive and purpose. Then nothing we do will be wasted or useless. We need to make sure that what we are doing is what God would have us do, that we are where He wants, and then we need to do it in order to bring Him glory.

 

I have a degree in Biochemistry and a gift for writing, teaching and administration, but I am a stay at home mom. Yet I know that I am where God wants me to be, and so I am fulfilling my best purpose doing the work He planned. Maybe I have talents or skills that are not being used, but if I were to leave this life to use them, I would miss out on my true purpose, the work God made for me to do.

 

I think a lot of people miss out on the blessing of fulfilling God’s calling and purpose for their lives by either chasing their own dreams rather than following God’s will for their lives, or by being unhappy with where God has called them. I know my life at home goes so much better when I am content and not thinking about how much I could do elsewhere.

 

Are you where you want to be? Are you where God wants you to be? Are you happy with His will and fulfilling His purpose?