“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:11)
I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the gift of writing.
It really brings me so much joy. Being able to write poetry, blog posts, and pieces of flash fiction that encourage and bless others…man, it’s honestly such a fun blessing! But a while ago I caught myself talking about it with the Lord…
There were some other things I wanted, and I was bringing my requests to Him, just like He’s asked me to. In the middle of it all I caught myself saying, with vehement passion, “God, I would give up writing for that!”
It wasn’t until a few days later that the rudeness of that statement slapped me in the face like a putrid, rotting fish.
I seriously just told the God of the universe I didn’t want the gift He hand-picked for me.
Instead of marveling at the treasure and the weight of the commission He’d given me, I held it back to Him with the wrapping paper barely touched, tears filling my eyes, begging for a different gift in exchange.
Rude. Inexplicably, so despicably rude.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
Isaiah 40:27+28
God, in His unsearchable wisdom, set me on the path of writing. He may not choose to keep me here forever, but it’s the gift and the task that He’s set before me in this season, and I’m blessed to be able to embrace it with joy and gratefulness, choosing to set my eyes on Him and not merely on the gifts He gives.
Will I place my identity in His gifts? No. Will I choose to use them for His glory to the best of my abilities? Absolutely! And I pray that you will do the same. ❤
What are some gifts/opportunities that God has given you in this season? How are you/can you be using them for His praise today?
❤ Laurel
Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash
Laurel Luehmann 
Thank you. And in kind, I did the same thing when I was no longer able to use my gift. But, I should know the Lord is either refining me to further my gift, or possibly changing my gift.
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Yes! That is so true. It can be really difficult to discern whether God is simply challenging you or calling you to something else.
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wowww…. this is such a powerful lesson and post! Amen!! Thank you for sharing!
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I’m glad it’s a blessing! My pleasure.:)
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Whewww. That’s…convicting.
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I’m sure God smiles on you every day. We are to respond honestly to God even if we need to repent later. He knows and understands what is on our heart. You use words in a wonderful way and know you will find your answers as you progress. I still want your book but don’t know when we will connect. Fran
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Hm. I’ve never thought about this before—I’ll have to do so some more.
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Laurel, I am so proud of how you are using your God-given talents! You are using these twice; once when you have the joy of writing and second, when we the recipients are able to enjoy reading what you have written!
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Wow, so interesting, Laurel!! You’ve definitely given me something to think about!
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I’m glad!!:)
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