I once attended a workshop at the local Holistic Chamber of Commerce where one of the presenters talked about the difference between skill and purpose. The gist of what she said was, “Just because you are good at something, does not mean it is your calling.” I don’t remember most of her talk or anything else that was discussed that evening, but that simple, yet profound, statement has never left me.
Recently, trying to prayerfully discern God’s will for me in my work, I have been thinking about what this woman said. A lot of the work I do has been the direct result of the skills I have. The other side of that, however, is that I developed those skills to do the work I do. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle.
To the speaker’s point, the things I’m good at have little to nothing to do with any kind of divine calling. Rather, they are worldly skills developed to complete worldly tasks for worldly reasons. Many of these skills, in fact, were developed as a form of self-protection or as a defense mechanism to manage my fears and insecurities.
God’s call is, at least for me, something altogether different. It’s a quiet voice, a subtle pull in a direction that feels uncomfortable and unfamiliar. God’s call requires faith more than skill, and it often feels as if I am entirely unprepared for what he is asking me to do. It feels like I’m unfit for the job, like he chose the wrong person to do his work.
While my skills may be utilized for God’s purpose, they also may get in the way. When he asks me to do something I would rather not, or feel like I can’t, do, I look at my present skills and justify my inadequacy based off of them. He couldn’t possibly need me for this work because I’m not good at what he is asking me to do. I’m better at this other thing.
God doesn’t ask us to be ready, however. He doesn’t even ask us to be capable. He asks us to be willing and to be faithful. He will make us ready and he will make us capable. If he chooses us for a certain purpose, he has not chosen wrongly.
Just because I am good at something doesn’t make it God’s will. I may even have to be willing to let go of what I am good at in order to pursue that which is for God. This is part of the crucifixion of being a Christian, to die to one’s old self and be reborn of the spirit. God doesn’t want what we are good at. He wants what is best for us.
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
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