Gifts: A God-Directed Future

Lead Me - Original Photograph by Jonathan Bremer
Media by: Susan Bremer

As a kid, I remember being asked: “what do you want to be when you grow up?” From the age of five to the ripe-old-age of 22, my answer has changed at least several hundred times. I wanted to be a soccer player, I wanted to be performer, I wanted to be the next Picasso, and I wanted to travel through space. People told me that I couldn’t be all these things simultaneously and that I had to pick one. I remember laughing dismissively and reassuring them that I could, in fact, be all those things at the same time if I wanted to. 17 years later, I still laugh and claim that I can take on many of these roles, gifts, and hobbies if I want to. This has caused friends, family, and strangers alike to question my sensibilities and good judgment; spreading myself thin with responsibilities and numerous interests. But I think there is something to be said about having multiple interests. Whether that is flying through space, playing a sport, or being a performer, it is important that you don’t let go of your dreams. It is important to narrow your focus to an extent, but we shouldn’t be assimilations on the assembly line of lifelessness either.

Having many interests is an essential part of human happiness. God has gifted each of us with a unique set of talents that allows us to engage and interact with the world on an individual yet surprisingly collective way. A perfect example of this idea is found in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13. This passage says,

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”

When thinking about gifts, whether they are spiritual, mental, or physical, they are all like this. They are things that make us unique, while also allowing us to come together with other like-minded people to create a unified whole. They give us the platform to be individuals and members of a larger collective.

Media by: Emi Hug

So how does this affect the way we live out our dreams and pursue careers that allow us to live fulfilled and complete lives? Well, it serves as a reminder that we don’t need to be sell-outs for the sake of success. Complete fulfillment will always outweigh monetary gain and worldly fortunes; they are not even comparable. You don’t have to make six figures to be fulfilled by what you are doing.

I worked a desk job this summer and I absolutely despised it. I worked 8am-6pm, Monday through Friday making 10 dollars per hour. It was good money; I got to take some photos in the showroom and work with marketing to produce some drab materials. We sent out dated marketing tools to an aging customer base with little interest in change or aesthetically pleasing designs – and it was fine. But in this setting, I was unfulfilled and miserable.

I never thought someone could take something I was so passionate about and use it to make me hate my life as much as I did. I didn’t want this, and I was determined never to let greed or being enslaved to wealth bring me to that point ever again.

Now, those jobs are not inherently bad. In fact, they can be useful and fulfilling. But it is important to realize who you are and the dreams and goals that you have for yourself. Don’t let a fear of failure or a focus on worldly riches dictate the pursuit of your dreams and dream job.

I know I will always remember the dream-oriented focus I had as a kid. People can call me childish or tell me that I need to grow up. But in the grand scheme of things, I will continue to not compromise fulfillment for the emptiness of earthly wealth and riches. God equips us with gifts, talents, and interests so we can use them and enjoy them. It is important to embrace them and use them. After all, they have been given to us to bring joy and give glory to God — and God delights in our joy along with us.

1 COMMENT

  1. Jonathan, as always, I appreciate your writing. It will be fun to see how many different adventures you go on in your life — both professionally and personally. God has given you a myriad of interests and passions and I can’t imagine you will let any of those go to waste!

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