Worker Bees

*Personal photo, Boone, North Carolina

God-designed purpose, what exactly does that mean? Growing up in the church, I always got the impression that my "purpose" would be this very specific ministry, project or career exclusively connected to or otherwise serving the church; something separate and distinct from your income earning profession. I thought God would zap me with this crystal clear "Ah Ha!" moment illuminating His purpose for me! Christ awakened my searching soul to the truth, only after walking me through my own spiritual awakening.

Reading and studying God's Word opened my eyes to His truth, there is no separation of Christ from any aspect of my life! Christ uses me regardless of age, location, social or economic status and He uses me exactly where I am, at any given moment! I have this terrible tendency to overthink and over complicate what Christ made very simple: "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:17 NASB) Could Christ be any more plain? Nature surrounds us with this truth. Insects, animals and sea creatures simply "do" as they are designed to do in whatever space He places them. Christ reminds me to simply glorify Him in all things and in all ways every time I read this devotional entry:

"He was hovering among some blackberry sprays, just touching the flowers here and there in a very tentative way, yet all unconsciously, life - life - life was left behind at every touch, as the miracle-working pollen grains were transferred to the place where they could set the unseen spring working. We have only to see to it that we are surcharged, like the bees, with the potential life. It is God and His eternity that will do the work. Yet He needs His wandering, desultory bees!"

Let me be a worker bee! Every person I see or interact with is an opportunity to leave "life-life-life" behind for Christ to blossom in His timing. Every trial, trauma or temptation becomes another chance to show off Christ in my life by how I'm handling each situation or person. Am I trusting Christ and using His ways or am I resorting to my own ways, speaking and acting as my "flesh" may really want? He makes it simple, it's not always easy, but it's not complicated to understand - let Christ reign in my life and He will take care of the rest.

Oddly enough, Christ eventually did make His purpose for me crystal clear, and it's the same for each of us, to glorify Him in all we do! So many years spent feeling utterly useless, due to the severe limitations of my chronic health issues, and He had been providing me the daily opportunity to touch everyone around me- including people I never even met! Friends and family told my story, expressed what they saw and how they knew I suffered every day. Whatever they shared spoke hope into other people's lives! Every casual comment and every person becomes a part of the chain of "worker-bees" dropping Christ's life-life-life all around! Miraculous! No question in my mind, I serve an awesome God!