Today, I would
like to share with you a personal struggle that I have been facing. Like many
people, I am not sure what I would do when I grow up. But I somewhat know what
I would like to do in the future. I
know what I enjoy doing, and it would be great to be able to have them in a
career.
But then comes
the problem. Many of the occupations that involve the things I enjoy have
certain setbacks that I do not wish to endure. For example, a part of my
passion is in writing, but as a general rule, writers starve. Writing is a
highly competitive field, and only a handful of authors can live on writing
alone. As a male, one of my priorities is the assurance that my family, if I
end up raising one, would be well provided for. Another thing I have an
interest in is digital illustration. However, the art industry is highly
demanding, involving tight deadlines and working around the clock. Such working
conditions are things I may not easily thrive in, and it may often take time
away from my family. Someone once suggested being a speaker. My hesitation to
pursue that occupation is due to the fact that many speakers are called away
from home many times.
There you go.
That is my struggle. I often end up feeling lost, as each door I look at is
decorated by thorns that threatens to prick me should I decide to walk through.
Sometimes I wonder why God would give me interests and passions that either may
not be able to support me financially or requires a lifestyle I do not want. In
addition, I don’t want to settle on average income. I want to be able to make
more than the average, so that I can have a comfortable lifestyle and not have
financial restrictions. I want all that, but the path my interests offer does
not look promising, with differing setbacks I do not want.
However, as I
reflect on myself, I realize that I have been viewing life and the situation
from one restricted point of view. In fact, I am looking from man’s point of
view. It is ultimately a struggle between the spirit and the flesh, as God
continued, time and time again, to invade my closed-up viewpoint and remind me
of the larger view that He has. By nature, I’m an idealist, having personal
visions of success for my life. But God is telling me that He is the greatest
idealist, and His ways of getting to His goals are different from mine. He
reminds me of what true success really is. He brings to remembrance the stories
I’ve heard of how He has guided people’s paths to reach a life of true
fulfilment. He wants me to trust Him with my life.
Again, it is a
war between spirit and flesh. Should wealth be the guiding force for my career
choice, or the work that God has planned to be the best fit for me, regardless
of income and financial status? Deep down, I know that I must choose the
latter. I realize that I am not concerned about money primarily for my needs, but primarily for my wants. Of course, finance should not be
left out of my consideration, but I must always remember that God has a way of
providing for me. He may surprise me with a whole new possibility that I may
not have been aware of before. What I must always keep in mind is that, if I
want success, the answer does not lie in the pursuit of high income, but in the
pursuit of the kingdom of God.
Whether the Lord
will bless me financially on this earth, I do not know. But I do know that
peace, joy, and fulfilment will be mine should I choose to follow His leading
all the way. I have to learn to say in every circumstance: “Thy will be done.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we just want to thank
You and to praise You for the works You are doing in our lives. Teach us, O
Lord, to trust You more and more. Guide us, O Lord, on the path You have for
us. Help us, O Lord, to remember what true success is—the fulfilment of our
purposes in accordance to Your plan. Help us to walk by faith. In all things,
may Your will be done. We pray all this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
We have reached
the end of the blog post series that was inspired by the Children’s Institute
curriculum. I hope that the various topics have blessed you in a certain
personal way. I am open to differing viewpoints, should anyone wish to express
theirs. May God continue to walk with you and draw you closer to Him, as you
learn to walk with Him.
Blessings,
Nathanael Chong
Nathanael Chong
No comments:
Post a Comment