Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
What a marvelous world we live in! When you look at this world you can see design. You can see design in creation because there is a Creator. You can look at a bird and know that he was made to fly. You can look at a fish and know he was made to swim. You can look at deer and know that they were made to disappear right under your nose the way they so often do. These animals do what they do because of the way God designed them.
There is clearly a design in all creation. In other words, there is a purpose in our creation. Specifically, there is a purpose in your creation. That is to say that God made you for a purpose. God has a wish and a will for your being here. Now, I would say that your purpose begins by knowing that God’s will is doing right and being willing and obedient.
In Romans 12 we have even more specific guidance on this matter. Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” It just makes sense. It stands to reason that we would give ourselves lock, stock, and body to the God Who created and made us for a purpose.
Then, the Bible says not to be “conformed to this world: but be transformed” in order that we may prove, or discern or know, “what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” So, he talks about our giving our bodies and being willing to do God’s will.
In subsequent verses he talks about another body, the body of Christ, and the two are connected. What God has made when He made me and what Christ is making as He builds His church have a connection. The Bible says in verse 3, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly.”
We are to realize that everything we have is a gift from God, and that each of us in our entirety is made to be part of the body of Christ. “For as we have many members in one body,” verse 4 starts, “and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.” He goes on to say we are not unified as believers because we serve in the same way; we are unified because we serve the same One.
There is a purpose in each of our creation. We don’t all serve the same way, but we serve the same One. The way to know what God would have us to do is, in part, to serve where we are and to recognize the gift with which God has gifted us. The bottom line is that God’s will is often indicated by God’s gifts. A bird flies because God made a bird to fly. A fish swims because God made a fish to swim. You do what you do because God made you to do that.
What I am saying is that God made you for a reason. Sometimes we have this idea that if there is something that we are lousy at doing or that we hate to do, that is exactly what God is going to make us do. No, God has a design from the very beginning in your creation.
So, there are five takeaways we should think about:
1. Don’t fret and don’t get set too early. That is, don’t take the bit in your teeth, and don’t worry that you don’t know exactly what gifts you have. Just don’t fret and don’t get set.
2. Don’t be consumed with self. I don’t think you need to obsess over trying to figure out what kind of person you are and what your temperament is. Just serve and that will become evident in due time.
3. Don’t be ambitious; be obedient. I could wish to be a runner all I want. God did not design me to be a runner. I can run, and there have been times when I have run as a habit. That is fine, but I’m never going to be a marathon runner because God didn’t make me to be one.
4. Remember that some gifts can be used in various ways. This doesn’t always point to a specific profession, although sometimes it does. If God called me to be a preacher, that is very specific, but even that has shading to it. Not every preacher is the same kind of preacher. So, if I have some gift, there may be a number of ways in which I can employ that.
5. Just start serving. Maybe it is dawning on you what your gifts are and what your place in this world is, or maybe that has not yet happened. Don’t worry! Just start serving God where you are. As you do that, God will make it clearer and clearer how your life is best employed.