Happy Friday to all! Today's Faith Friday post is really special because I feel like it applies to what I'm living in my life at this very moment and I hope that it will be of help to people going through the same thing. For a really long time I had the same thought in my head - "God, what am I supposed to do in my life?" Am I going to be a doctor (yeah... no.), a lawyer, a teacher? I realized that I had been focusing so much on making a career be what defined me as a person that I lost sight of my ultimate purpose. We are all called, no matter what we do, to spread the good news of Christ and to share his love with people around us. This applies to everyone: male or female, doctor or lawyer, rich or poor. So then this got me thinking: if my career isn't the deciding factor, does it really matter what profession I go into?
I will preface this by saying that we must look for direction from God in our lives. {The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him - Psalm 37:14} Now what I'm getting at is simple. It won't matter what God leads you to do in your future because He has a perfect plan and all you need to do is lift up His name no matter where you are placed. If you trust in the way He works and live your life solely to honour Him, you're on the right track. That being said, is making a living off of being a pastor, theologian, or music leader any better than a doctor, chef or teacher? No. If you make all that you do honour Him, you will touch lives and spread his Word in every part of society. One life calling isn't more "righteous" than another. If your heart is set on transmitting God's love through preaching or making cupcakes for people - then GO! I'm so thankful for someone having shared the book Jesus > Religion by Jefferson Bethke. It was only after reading what he speaks about in regards to this subject that it all sorta clicked.
We spend so much time thinking that to be a Gold-Star Christian you have to have a specific "Christian job" but what about the platforms that God gives you to share his word outside of ministry? There are so many people that I've encountered who feel like they are second rate because they aren't establishing God's Kingdom on Earth the same way other people are. But that's just it - you may be establishing it in a different realm but who said that was a bad thing? Jefferson speaks in his book about quitting baseball to look for a more suitable Christian job but goes on to realize, who showed Christ to those guys? He has been given a platform that maybe a worship leader doesn't have but He left it because, well that's just not good enough for God is it?
Here's the key though. Whether you are in ministry or aren't in a traditional ministry, you have to let all that you do be for the glory of God! ALL OF IT. First sign that what you're doing isn't glorifying God? When you're doing it to get attention drawn to yourself. We are humans and we have this thing inside of us that's all "Look at me! Did you see what I'm doing? I'm such a good Christian!" Sorry to tell you this, but it is not about you. It never was and it never will be. It's about HIM #shocker. Show God that you're living a holy life for Him and stop spending time trying to convince everyone else around you of it. Remember Matthew 6:16-18 when Jesus talks about the example of the hypocrites who show people that they're fasting by how hungry they're feeling.
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full"
What does he say? They have already received their reward! So what you do for Christ, if it truly is for His glory, you won't be looking for attention to be drawn to how well you do things because you'll get your reward on Earth - and if there's something I'm sure about, the reward in heaven is gonna be so much better.
"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" - 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Do you recall what I have written in capitol letters up there ^.... ALL for the glory of God. There is nothing you can hold back for yourself. So I encourage you to bring Him honour and glory in whatever/wherever you've been placed. I've heard this so much but I think it is so true - we need people boldly and shamelessly proclaiming God's power everywhere in our society because everyone needs to know.
I'm going to segway into my personal story. A lot of people from the outside might be thinking, "What does makeup and beauty have anything to do with Christ, Nathali?" It may look like I'm partaking in some vain activity trying to make myself externally beautiful or wasting my time writing about beauty products. God gave me a love for this and I'm not ashamed because I know where my beauty lies. It's a part of me and I decided to mix it with my faith. At first I said "God how am I going to manage it?" but God has made it so easy for me. Some people may not write about beauty or love it the way I do and that's okay. It doesn't take away from what I or they do. But what I have realized is that God gave me a platform. I love finding girls on blogs and YouTube who love beauty and fashion but aren't ashamed to share their love of Christ! Take BreeLovesBeauty for example. She is sharing about Christ all the time and it has blessed me on so many occasions, as well as other girls who loves makeup but may not have known about Jesus. This is her platform. Thousands of people watch her videos and she shows them Christ through the way she carries herself. I may not be a preacher or a leader at my church but that gives me no excuse not to share my faith with others. I may have a more specific audience, but it's an audience that I can reach and I fully intend on doing so. Wherever God ends up leading me, my only job is to bring Him glory in what I do, no matter what that position is.
I encourage to pray about this. Don't rush into anything. God may call you for things in a specific church ministry or he may not but don't lose sight of the fact that whatever you do for Him is your ministry. Trust God to lead you the place and platform he has set up for you and work with it! He has your feet firmly planted. but only if you delight in him and only look to glorify him. Have an incredible weekend - Lots of love x
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