I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:14 NLT)

This week the drain in our kitchen sink stopped working. I rinsed the grime and grease from my supper dishes, but the dirty water remained in the sink. I said to my husband, “We may need to call a plumber!”
“No!” I think I can fix it,” he said. “Well, okay! I said as I watched John crawl under the sink. “I hope you can do it.”

Thankfully, he did not become discouraged by my lack of confidence in his plumbing skills. Neither did he become discouraged when part of the under-the-sink portion of the pipe broke. He figured out how to repair it. When he finished the work, he smiled and said, “I did a good job!” In my book, he did a first-rate job. And he saved us hundreds of dollars.

Is it okay to have that kind of confidence? Can we feel good about the work we do? It’s not just okay. It’s necessary. Without the assurance that our hard work has worth, we will never accomplish much.

John is gifted with high mechanical intelligence. He learned the skills needed for repairing pipes. In addition, he asks God for knowledge and wisdom when using these skills. Therefore he confidently says, “I can fix it!”

I have the confidence to do the work God gifted me for. Write a blog post. Compose songs and poems. My confidence is not in my great creativity but in my faithful God who shows me new things. Because I’m confident his Spirit will speak to me, I take my telephone with me when I go for a walk. I prepare to record whatever poem or song he inspires me with.

I love the way that God has gifted each person for a task which he/she alone can do. How ridiculous it would be for me to envy John’s mechanical ability. I don’t say, “Oh, I wish I could fix a pipe the way you can!” I simply ask him to do what he can do and receive his help with a smile of gratitude.

He does not say “I wish I could write a poem the way you can.” Or, “I wish I could play the piano the way you do.” He simply listens to my poems and songs and receives encouragement.

Envy blocks us from finishing the race God has given us to run. Accepting and being content with what we’ve been given gives us the confidence to stay in the race until we reach the finish line.

Finishing our race does not depend on our perfect performance. It depends on God’s ability to perfect (complete) what he initiated.

Do you feel anxious about your ability to finish the race God gave you to run? Rest in this truth: “God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns” (Philippians 1:6 TLB).


I haven't reached perfection yet
there are many things still to correct
but I can live contentedly
because I know God speaks to me.
 
Perfection is His work, not mine
I have His peace, the Spirit’s sign
and with this knowledge I can grow
I need not fret and struggle so.
 
I'll walk with Him obediently
trust the Spirits' work in me
praise Him for His endless grace
and someday see Him face to face.

Jane Ault
@1985



10 Responses

  1. This is a rich message, Jane! It gives me encouragement in thanking God for the things I can do with confidence in him. And reminds me that we each have skills and abilities for the building up of the body, to use in complementarity, not competition. And good for John! ❤️

    1. Thank you for your comment, Jean. It’s amazing to me how easy life is when I do only those things Jesus has equipped me for. His yoke is truly easy.

  2. Hi Jane!
    This is a great reminder to trust in God when we ask him for help in knowledge and wisdom. We know that he is good and can have confidence in him!
    I also loved the contrasting examples of gifts. I often do not think to ask God for help in mechanical tasks. I often ask for his guidance in social and ministry tasks. But God knows how to do it all and to do it all correctly! And he cares for us!
    Love you Jane, have a blessed Friday

    1. Hi Courtney,
      So good to hear from you! You are so right. “God knows how to do it all and do it correctly.” All he wants is our trusting and loving obedience, not perfection.
      Much love to you.

      1. This writing for me is confirmation that everyone has a specific purpose. And even if we do things that are not necessarily our gift but doing whatever it is to the best of our ability is God’s way of saying have faith and live in the moment.

        1. Thank you, Faye. Yes, I believe that doing things to the best of our ability pleases God. And we gradually learn what we are best able to do.

  3. Hi Jane, I appreciate the reminder of our need to trust in God’s work in and through us. He is such a creative God!
    I love the many gifts we see used for His glory, especially in this unusual season.
    Thank you for sharing yours!
    “For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
    Eph 2:10

    1. Hi Donna, I’m thankful for the gifts God has given you to do. You are a blessing to many during these tumultuous days. May God continue to give you wisdom and strength in the good work he’s equipped you and called you to do.

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