For those of you who aren't familiar with me, or my work, I'm in fact, a Christian. If reading scripture on rare occasion will offend you, then you may want to reconsider reading my Sunday column, which, on occasion, will push the Christian Worldview agenda. Most faiths whether mainstream protestant or Catholic, won't object to my postings herein.
In the meantime, I'm developing a statement of faith, which will be done in meditative prayer, and will be a long process. So in the meantime, know that I'm a Christian, and not a perfect one. There is a horrible rumor (that has to be stopped) that says that all Christians are pious and perfect. I'm neither, and most of us aren't. I'm me, and God loves me anyway. Furthermore, God loves you too.
If you want to have a thoughtful, and considerate discussion on my faith feel free to write in the comments below, and include your email. I will address those questions personally, and privately.
Thank you for your attention to this matter that's near and dear to my heart.
Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
In Veith’s book, God at Work, the author talks to us about our vocation or calling in life. The term vocation actually means “calling” in Latin. I believe everyone has a unique calling for his or her life. Many of us are fortunate enough to have more than one calling. But God calls each and every one of us to a particular position or way of life. God equips us for different vocation based on our intrinsic uniqueness, the stuff that makes us who we are. These abilities are gifts that are fraught by God to deliver to the world his divine purpose. (Veith 17-21)
All of us need help sometimes, and whether we admit it or not, we all need other people in our lives. Sometimes I create that same objectivity by journaling. This tool enables me to see my thoughts and ideas more concretely, and thus, make more objective decisions. Writing by hand is my way of creating a concrete version of my thoughts, and that leads to critical thinking.
To paraphrase Veith, when we are planning goals and dreams, as Christians, we have to remember that God doesn’t operate the same way that we do. Work is both a blessing and a curse. At times I can be a bit of a workaholic. This is a tendency that should be fought because biblically it leads to death. Too often I forget that I am working for God, and for my kids. There isn’t a point to it all if I am absent, physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. I believe that God has a plan for my life, and everything works together for his glory. But I must trust in my natural abilities that God has blessed me with, but more than that I must trust that God has all of my needs counted with provisions for them. (Veith 63-71)
As a Christian, my life here is also very precisely measured. Shouldn’t I weigh where I work by how much glory it gives to God? Shouldn’t I instead trust that he gave me this talent for a reason, and trust that he will take care of my kids and me? So here I am Lord. I am surrendering my talent, yet pursuing it. Finally, I am at a crossroads and it is a great place for me to be.
Work Cited (In Addition to the Bible)
Veith, Gene Edward Jr. God at Work. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. 2002. Print.
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