Photo Credit: Anastasia Johnson
I just read a friend's quote regarding our own personal fulfillment and the service we extend towards others. The essence of the quote was that one shouldn't be so incredibly wrapped up in their own fulfillment, that it negates service towards others. This quote was directed towards a culture of leaders, or in other words, those that are aware of their sphere of influence.
But I felt as though something was missing from this quote--this sentiment...
Because personal fulfillment
is important.
Mind you, I think serving others in life is a pathway to hidden bliss. Seriously. I recommend serving someone, a community, etc, especially when you don't necessarily feel like it. But a note to those that are leaders: It's also hard to lead someone in the direction or to the place you have not yet gone in life.
When one finds direction,vision, purpose, and passion--the thing in which they were created to do, it births life in and around that person. The gifted one (You and I) are not meant to keep such fulfillment to ourselves but we are meant to leak with the aroma of fulfillment to bring someone else into theirs.
Yesterday I was listening to a champion of Hope. Literally. His life is dedicated to filling people up with Hope. Such a powerful thing indeed. And this man spoke of how he feels God's delight and pleasure in the midst of what would be considered
just work.
When he would clean the floors in the early days of his janitorial company, he would feel more of the presence of God in that place working and doing a job with excellence than within the four walls of a church.
Soon he began to hire and connect with the toothless workers of his company and inevitably shared God's hope and love with them, which would then usher them into a sense of identity, honor, and renewed vision for their own future.
This same Hope Revivalist would go on to do a variety of other jobs he found passion in (Professor, Janitor, Coach, etc.) And in these different "occupations" they became a beautiful place of worship. An extension of his
unique worship. He would discover a new face/aspect of God in each of these work places. And to his surprise, he found that he actually
liked to work.
Fulfillment for you, will most likely look a lot different than it does for me.
I encourage you to go out and find your fulfillment, find out how you were made to worship and feel the delight of God even in the midst of work.
It may be on a soccer field, in a court house, on the dance floor, or taking tickets at a movie theatre. You may actually enjoy what the world may perceive as mundane and unimpressive. And that's quite alright.
Last time I checked, the majority of the world is still trying to find and maintain happiness.
So while you're busy paying attention to the things that ignite your heart and your curiosity, know that God wants to meet you there in that place.
And while He meets you there in that place, there will most likely be someone close by that will need the wisdom you carry. So as freely as you have received a gift, remember to freely give a gift away. And often.
Wisdom's Knocking:
Don't be afraid to take risks.
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