Strong spirits: there's a balance

What's the difference between just getting the job done, and doing something truly amazing?
It's a number of things. It's both who you are (your talents, gifts, skills) and who you know (connections with key people who can open doors, pave the way, etc.). It's also what you do: your attitude, your effort, your determination.

In living a life of faith, in serving God, it is the same. We are created in the image of God both for joyful fellowship with him, and to serve him and others. He gifts and equips us for both. Our part is to remain connected to him, and then to do whatever he calls us to do.

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."Peter the apostle (2 Peter 1:3)

"For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness..." Peter again (2 Peter 1:5,6)

It's his power, but we need to make the effort. Someone said we need to pray like everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on us. It's true. We are fully dependent on God to do what only he can do. And he depends on us to do what we can and have been called to do.

Are you connected? Do you know what you are called to do? Are you making every effort to please him?

Gary Schwerin serves as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church. He is also the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - to see them all, subscribe to our daily email.

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