[image: Purpose Driven Connection - Daily Devotional] March 19, 2009
God Smiles When We Use Our
Abilities<http://links.purposedriven.com/u.d?c4GtvBUOVjyr6kW-M=13>
by Rick Warren
In our Devotionals series, Pastor Rick Warren discusses the Bible passages
that inspire him the most. Today's Devotional is based on this passage: "He
has shaped each person in turn; now he watches everything we do" (Psalm
33:15 MSG).
After the flood, God gave Noah these simple instructions: "Be fruitful
and increase in number and fill the earth. Everything that lives and moves
will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you
everything" (Genesis 9:1,3 NIV).
God said, "It's time to get on with your life! Do the things I designed
humans to do. Make love to your spouse. Have babies. Raise families. Plant
crops and eat meals. This is what I made you to be!"
You may feel that the only time God is pleased with you is when you're doing
"spiritual" activities like reading the Bible, attending church, praying, or
sharing your faith, and that he is unconcerned about the other parts of your
life. Actually, God enjoys watching everything you do, whether you are
working, playing, resting, or eating. The Bible tells us, "The steps of the
godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives"
(Psalm 37:23 NLT).
God especially enjoys watching you use the talents and abilities he has
given you. God intentionally gifted each of us differently for his
enjoyment. You may be gifted at mechanics or mathematics or music or a
thousand other skills. All of these activities can bring a smile to God's
face.
You don't bring glory or pleasure to God by hiding your abilities or by
trying to be someone else. You only bring him enjoyment by being you.
Anytime you reject any part of yourself, you are rejecting God's wisdom and
sovereignty in creating you. God says, "You have no right to argue with your
Creator. You are merely a clay pot shaped by a potter. The clay doesn't ask,
'Why did you make me this way?'" (Isaiah 45:9 CEV).
In the film *Chariots of Fire*, Olympic runner Eric Liddell says, "I believe
God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel
God's pleasure." Later he says, "To give up running would be to hold him in
contempt." There are no unspiritual abilities, just misused ones. Start
using yours for God's pleasure.
God also gains pleasure in watching you enjoy his creation. He gave you eyes
to enjoy beauty, ears to enjoy sounds and music, your nose and taste buds to
enjoy smells and tastes, and the nerves under your skin to enjoy touch.
Every act of enjoyment becomes an act of worship when you thank God for it.
In fact, the Bible says, "God generously gives us everything for our
enjoyment" (1 Timothy 6:17 TEV).
God even enjoys watching you sleep! When my children were small, I remember
the deep satisfaction of watching them sleep. They looked contented, secure,
and peaceful, and I was reminded of how much I loved them. When you are
sleeping, God gazes at you with love, because you were his idea.
Parents do not require their children to be perfect, or even mature, in
order to enjoy them. They enjoy them at every stage of development. In the
same way, God doesn't wait for you to reach maturity before he starts liking
you. He loves and enjoys you at every stage of your spiritual development.
You may have had unpleasable teachers or parents as you were growing up.
Please don't assume God feels that way about you. He knows you are incapable
of being perfect or sinless (1 John 1:8).
What God looks at is the attitude of your heart: Is pleasing him your
deepest desire? This was Paul's life goal: "More than anything else,
however, we want to please him..." (2 Corinthians 5:9 TEV).
When you live in light of eternity, your focus changes from "How much
pleasure am I getting out of life?" to "How much pleasure is God getting out
of my life?"
God is looking for people like Noah in the 21st century—people willing to
live for the pleasure of God. The Bible says, "The Lord looks down from
heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who are wise, who want to
please God” (Psalm 14:2 LB).
Will you make pleasing God the goal of your life? There is nothing that God
won't do for the person totally absorbed with this goal.
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest,
Calif., one of America’s largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick
is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The
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'Unless you change what you do, you will always have what you've got.'
- Jim Rohn
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