Shining the light, whatever you do
By Jessica Brodie
I have been reading since the tender age of two. According to my mom, I was looking over a menu at a restaurant, and my mom asked what I was doing and I told her, “Reading the menu”—then proceeded to read it to her. When she told the doctor, he didn’t believe her, so I read for him, too. I guess you can say I’ve been a lover of the written word ever since.
I have my mom to thank for this, because the only thing this shy little kid really, really liked to do in early childhood was read books. My poor mom would have book after book dragged over to her by yours truly, plaintively begging, “Mommy, read.”
How could any mom resist? Apparently she couldn’t (and I am grateful!) so day after day and night after night, she’d read, and read, and read… and guess what? I’m in my 40s and today I’m still reading.
Of course, I’m also writing. But that often follows. For I have learned what makes any good writer is probably someone who’s a good reader. We imitate what we love. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, and as a book lover, what else can I do but try to mimic the thing I love so much, turning it right back out into the world again?
This is why it made sense some years ago, when I stopped putting Jesus on the sidelines of my life and started prioritizing him as the center, that I’d stop writing about other things and instead write about what I love more than anything: Jesus. Whether it’s blogs or Christian novels or Bible-based articles or journalistic pieces on ministries, that’s what I do—and I am blessed to do it.
Not everyone is able to make their living in the field they love, or in the ministry. But I’ve noticed many of us gradually shift from merely “making money” to a more purpose-driven undertaking. And while our purpose is not our job, we can most definitely fulfill our purpose through our job.
My purpose is to shine God’s light in the word through encouragement and inspiration while making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Storytelling is my method, but always with that end goal: fulfilling my purpose for the Lord. Allowing myself to be God’s instrument every day, always.
Whatever stage of life we find ourselves in, it’s the same thing: We are called to do whatever we do for the Lord. So if we teach elementary school kids, we should be teaching for Jesus… even if we never utter His name. His light is still able to shine through us and into those we teach.
Whether you work as a cashier or a surgeon or on a construction site, whether you’re in an office day after day or you stay at home, it’s the same.
When we commit our work to the Lord, He finds a way to shine through us and into those we encounter. We don’t have to see the fruits to know this—we only have to trust that if we commit our lives to God, God will use us however He needs.
For, as the Bible tells us, God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV).
And further, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13 NIV).
If you are struggling with your purpose, or wondering whether you are doing what God has in mind for you, know that you don’t need to worry. God will use you no matter what.
But if you are feeling that tug, perhaps a nudge that you need to be going in a different direction, perhaps it is the Holy Spirit urging you toward a new way God can work His glory through you.
Look within, taking cues from what you love or are already good at, for God gives us gifts to be used, and when we are “naturally” good at something, perhaps it’s because He wants us to explore those gifts.
It’s OK to take a chance. As long as you’re focused on shining God’s light, He’ll use it for good.
WANT TO HELP SPONSOR JESSICA BRODIE’S WRITING MINISTRY BY BECOMING A PATRON? CLICK HERE.
THANKS TO MY SPONSORS: MATT BRODIE, EMILY DODD, KATHLEEN PATELLA, BILLY ROBINSON, AND LANNY TURNER.
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