Shouts of GraceEsimerkki

Grace for Serving

Let me ask you a question…Do you know why you’re here?

When it comes to God’s will for your life, He decides it and you discover it. It’s not something you can change, a topic for debate, or a plan you get to have a say in. You walk out the special grace He has placed within you to do what He has placed you here to do! He’s given you gifts and talents to use during your time on the earth. One way to help understand, in the language of today, is to think of your body as a computer containing a hard drive that has been programmed by God Himself before it was ever placed inside the computer. Each one of us has to discover (or decipher) how to access that hard drive, in order to make our computer work to its full potential and accomplish its purpose.

The truth is, you can miss God’s will and be miserable, or you can do things His way and experience “glorious, inexpressible joy.” The choice is yours. You may say, “But I don’t know what God’s will and purpose is for my life.”

Then pray this prayer:

Father, I’m tired of going through my life with no real purpose because it brings no glory to you. You created every living thing, including me, that they may bring you pleasure. I see in Revelation 4:11 that, “You made all things. They were made and have life because You wanted it that way.” I know that you have a specific job for me to do. Your Word says You formed me in the womb to be your servant. I’m getting lots of input from other people, but I need to know the path You have chosen for me. Help me to stop ignoring and minimizing the gifts and talents you have invested in me, acting like they’re of no significance.

I know we are all called to serve, and that You give us the special grace we need to do so! I need your help…your grace… to discern who, where, when, and how I should serve. I want to do what you have destined me to do and not be sidetracked by wrong priorities, busywork, or other people’s desires and demands. At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and say like Jesus did, “I brought glory to you here on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4 NLT).

I want to hear these words come from my Master’s mouth: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:21).

I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

- Pastor Mike Bryan

Journal Directions

Answer the following questions:

1. Reflecting upon your desire to serve, do you have a particular interest that you are naturally drawn to (music, teaching, building, art)? This could be what you are “graced” to do.
2. What areas of service are you definitely not graced to do?
3. If the Holy Spirit prompted you to do one of the things that you don’t feel naturally graced to do, would you be willing to break out of your box, if you knew it would bring pleasure to God?
4. Would you be willing to break out of your box, for God's pleasure and yours, if you believed that He would grace you to do it? Would you ask Him for that grace?