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What Fills You Up?

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:13

Today I was offered a consulting job. Back in the world of work I knew before I retired. Developing an on-line course for the public health community. This is a world where I know what I’m doing. A world where I’m an ‘expert’ or at least competent. The pay wasn’t bad and it would involve a bit of easy travel. I would be working with folks who respect me and it would add some structure to my days. It would fill my days with a lot of things I enjoyed about my former position, and less of the things that frustrated me.

Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? But I’m glad I didn’t just jump right in with a yes. I said, let me get back to you. And then I took it before the Lord.

Well….I got my answer. God did not speak to me out loud, but he made his response clear.  Loretta, would you choose to let that world fill you up rather than me? I’ve given you an assignment. Spend time with me, learn more about me, share what you are learning with others. My lesson right now is to let God be my constant source of fulfillment. This is coming at me in many forms.

And I will tell you, I am struggling with this new assignment. I miss the enforced structure of my professional life. I want to fall back on the familiar, the known, rather than blaze a path into the unknown that God has invited me to walk.

So, it really comes down to this. Do I let the work that I’m familiar with fill me up, or do I let God fill me? The temptation is to go with the familiar. The place where I know I’ll get my kudos. But I’m still reading Jeremiah, and I read that God told Jeremiah ‘I can’t bless disobedience’.

At this time in my life God has invited me on an adventure. It’s a bit of a maze where I can’t always see what is ahead, but this adventure is an invitation from God to let him alone fill me, and to do otherwise would be disobedience. I’ve decided to give a ‘no thank you’ answer to the offer. Even though I don’t have a clue where God is leading me on this new adventure, I’m learning to choose him over the apparent security of the known.

 

I’m linked up here today.

http://holleygerth.com/

Loretta Gjeltema

4 responses to “What Fills You Up?”

  1. Cindi Summerlin Avatar
    Cindi Summerlin

    i am in that place with you, working because i must at a job that does not fill me (or fill my bank account enough to pay all my bills), and longing for time with God. i find him in the brief mornings, the late at nights, and in the time in-between, but feel that it isn’t satisfying either of us.

    Reply
    1. Loretta Gjeltema Avatar
      Loretta Gjeltema

      Cindy, I’m finding the fulfillment in the obedience. Nothing bad about the job I was offered, just the fact that I’m certain that’s not where I’m supposed to be right now. When I was working, I longed for time not working. For me, it’s not about working, or not, it’s about allowing God to place me where he wants me and stay there in obedience both physically and mentally rather than longing for something else.

      I pray you will seek his specific will for you and find contentment in that place. Thank you for sharing your heart.

      Reply
  2. Alisa Avatar
    Alisa

    This is so good, Loretta! I’ve had to say no to some offers recently too. Things I really really wanted to say yes to. But they came the day after God told me what He wanted me to do. So it was no for me too. Obedience can be hard sometimes as our flesh and spirit duke it out, but in the end the peace is where I head! Neighbors at Coffee For Your Heart.

    Reply
    1. Loretta Gjeltema Avatar
      Loretta Gjeltema

      Alisa, thanks for your encouragement! It’s good to find faithful neighbors on this same path.

      Reply

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