I have had several conversations this week and one question has come up three times. People ask, “With so many opportunities how do I know where God wants me to serve?” I don’t claim to have the only answer but I do have a theory. It is my opinion that God gives us two tools to help guide us to our optimum service area.
The first is passion. Because when we serve inside our passion we never short sell our service. Our passion pushes us past half-hearted efforts in order to pursue excellence.
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.
~Ephesians 6:7 (NIV)
The second is effectiveness. It is our God-given skills that help us to provide optimum service.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
~1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV)
It is when our passion partners with our effectiveness that we find the sweet spot where God wants us to serve. Effectiveness and passion enable us to optimize our efforts for God. My dad has told me my whole life, “If you love what you do then you never go to work.”
