Concerning Passion and Talent…
First, I would like to say that
God wants to use you, but He also wants to do so in His timing. This can be
discouraging to many of us. Perhaps you are wresting with your purpose or you
have a child that is struggling to find a place in this world. My advice, do
not be discouraged by the wait. Second, once we do finally find our calling, we
can become consumed by it. It becomes all we care about. Be on guard for
hubris. Each person’s gifts are important, but they are not the be-all and
end-all of God’s work and beauty in the world.
Part One: Take Heart.
When I was a child, I struggled
with finding my gifting. I struggled in sports, I struggled in academia, I
struggled in playing the piano and other instruments, and the list could go on.
Compared to most of my peers, I proved to be a fairly good cartoonist (more of
a doodler actually), but there were no competitions for me to practice for or
to prove to myself that I had what it took to be ranked high with other
cartoonists. No affirmation whatsoever…
I received no trophies or
accolades, and my artistic passion never matured to painting or the like.
Doodling is where it started, and doodling is where it ended (so far). I simply
could not find an outlet for this talent where people would encourage and
challenge me, and I was frustrated with myself, my direction, and with my God.
I did not excel at cartooning or anything else for a long time, because I
convinced myself I had nothing to which I could excel. For many years, I became
apathetic.
But…
It might be quite a surprise to
some of the men and women who taught me in my early years of education;
however, I did eventually find myself passionate about learning. I did not have
the raw talent to retain information like some of my peers. I never received an
impressive SAT score, and my academic career never got much above average. I
have never joined a collegiate or graduate honors program, and some of the
papers that I have been most passionate about writing received lackluster
marks. Even so, I gained a deep appreciation for knowledge and a desire to
share my passion for knowledge as a teacher. Perhaps, I thought, this could be
my calling.
It took a longer time for me to
find a talent hidden within my being than some of my friends, and discovery of
talent is only the beginning. Mastering a talent takes time. My passion soon
found an area of interest to work with, theology. However, I look back with
horror at some of my early attempts to teach. After fulfilling an invitation to
speak at my home church in my college years, I asked my father to evaluate my
work. He was kind, but suggested that I did not convey my thoughts very well.
It was devastating to learn that I was not as great at this talent as I thought
I might be. I had to learn a lesson that many talented people learn as
children: Talent still needs to be made useful through practice.
I kept it up, but I have not even
spent a decade in practice. So, I am still a somewhat rough work in progress. Even
so, at the core of who God has created me to be lies a passion for teaching.
God has identified His self in me as a God who is concerned with proper
knowledge. He is walking with me down a path of wonderful discovery, as He is
honing the rough edge of this gift into a fine edge. He has given me people who
believe in me and challenge me to continue in my art. Over the past few years,
I have been able to use my talent to great affect, and my confidence in this
calling has risen to great heights. I praise God for His continual work in my
life as He uses me to bless others.
So, if you are struggling, keep
at it. Perseverance is key to God’s work. He has to shape us, and the molding
of our being into His intended image is often painful. However, the more He
works, the more time He takes, the more we allow Him to shape us in His mighty
Hand, the more impact we will be able to have for His purposes. Thank Him for
being so called that He would only reveal His gift to you after long wait.
Jesus prepared thirty years for a three-year ministry. Take heart!
-TM
Part Two coming soon...
