Serving God Through Life’s Transitions

by | Apr 26, 2020 | Gifts of the Spirit, Service, Talents

1 Corinthians 12:4-5 – There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. (NIV)

God has blessed each of us with unique gifts. Some of us have great gifts, such as in teaching, healing sickness, or in giving leadership. Other gifts, though less publicly visible, can just as surely bring honour to God.

Over the years, we develop our skills, especially in those things which we find easy to do or very enjoyable. As our lives progress, new interests may arise, re-directing us into new ways that we can use our lives for God’s service.

Let me tell you about someone named Jack, who is now in his nineties. He’s been part of our church for many years. Jack has been an active volunteer in many aspects of the community over the years. He has played piano for seniors; he has raised funds for worthy organizations and helped in various ways.

Over time, Jack’s life and activities have changed. He lost his driver’s license because of poor vision. He could not drive, but he could walk! I would see Jack sitting in the hallway of our hospital. He had walked there from home and was selling tickets to raise funds for the hospital.

A while ago, he told me that he had found a new volunteer job at the Grimsby Benevolent Society. Here they sell donations of furniture, clothing, and all kinds of items at reduced prices, affordable for people of lesser means. However, it seems that there are those clients who would like to reduce the prices even further by switching the price tags to make items appear to cost even less. Jack is the security guard who hangs around when people are shopping. No doubt he has an idea of which people like to switch tags. The shoppers don’t know that he can’t see well enough to read the tags. But they do know that he’s there, and that’s the deterrent needed to keep the price tags in their proper place! And I’m sure that Jack’s friendly, chatty ways bring joy to the clients as they shop. Jack has found a way to give service to God even with his physical limitations. He has navigated life transitions caused by physical changes and found volunteer work suitable for himself. In his nineties, he is still serving God in his own unique way.

Throughout life’s transitions, as we point our hearts toward Christ, He will illumine our minds with creative ideas to serve Him through others. In the sequential seasons of our lives, He enables us to prayerfully find ways to do His work with the gifts that He has given us. As we seek God’s direction, He shows us what to do and where to be. Wherever Christians go, with Christ’s love guiding their thoughts and actions, the true Spirit of Christ will be revealed.

Prayer: Thank you, God, for the gifts that You have given to each of us. Open our eyes to recognize those gifts and to see the opportunities that You place before us to use them for Your service, that we might daily bless others wherever we are. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Joan Adams joani.adams@sympatico.ca
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Thanks to http://daily.presbycan.ca

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Serving God Through Life’s Transitions

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