What you are is God’s gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift to God – Danish Proverb

Ever wonder about your purpose in life? The impact you make? Do you ever feel like you could do more with your life or more for God if you could change some of your life’s circumstances. Honest moment: I’ve actually had this conversation with Him during prayer: “You know, I could bless the church and a lot of missionaries if the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstake van pulled into my driveway.” That’s often our complaint, isn’t it? I could make a bigger and better impact on others if only I had more. More money, more talent, more friends, more opportunities, more exposure for my blog…

I’m reminded of lesson I learned long ago while listening to one of the big impacts on my life, Adventures in Odyssey. I heard the story of the stone cutter.

He was a simple man, who lived his life on the mountainside, chiseling away at stone after stone, taking what he quarried into the village below. One day, on the way to the market he passed a wealthy merchants house. He marveled at the luxury of the house, the important visitors coming and going. He became envious and wished he could be like that merchant.

When he woke the next day, to his amazement, his wish had come true, he now lived in a luxurious house, he had wealth and power like he never dreamed. He was for once the one envied and even detested by those less wealthy than himself. Then one day a prince passed by, carried above the crowd in an ornate chair by his servants. Everyone, regardless of wealth had to bow as the prince passed by. Recognizing the prince had more power than him, he wished he could be as powerful as the prince.

And again, the next morning when he awoke, he found himself in a palace, and now he was the one carried about by servants. The envy was clear in the eyes of the people he passed by. He was feared and hated by all those who were forced to bow as he was carried by them. As the day wore on, the hot sun began to drain all his enjoyment out of the spectacle of the bowing masses. He became hot and uncomfortable, and was forced to admit that with all his power he was less than the sun. He made another wish.

The next morning, he rose across the eastern sky, shining brightly down across the land. His rays fell across rich and poor alike, all cursed his heat as their crops withered and died, made labor and travel unbearable, and burnt the skin of those who could not avoid his gaze. Suddenly, a black cloud moved in front of him, blocking the powerful heat from the scorched ground and those moving about. Confronted with yet another whose power overtook his own, he wished to become the cloud.

Heavy rains fell, washing away the burnt crops destroyed the day before. The road the princes travelled washed out. The market was flooded. Those below sought refuge from the deluge, with clinched fists they voiced their anger into the stormy sky. Then, a large gust blew him away from his drenched victims. He was at the mercy of the wind, buffeted to and fro by it’s billows. He made his wish.

Heavy wind damaged the princely palace, ripped the roof off the rich merchant’s home, and flattened the houses of laborers and the poor. Trees, gardens, and fences fell as he swept across the landscape. As he moved he heard the angry shouts and curses from those below him. Then suddenly he ran into something he could not move. A towering rock rose from the ground, his hollowing wind was ineffectual, no matter how he raged, the rock would not move. Once more forced to admit of a more powerful being, he wished to be the rock.

As the rock, he was now the most powerful of all, he thought. The sun could warm him, but not burn him. The rain couldn’t wash him away. The wind could blow across his face but not change him. But then he began to feel himself change, and parts of him falling away. He heard a noise, a familiar noise, the sound of a hammer striking a chisel, so he looked down.

And saw a stone cutter.

God, who is all knowing, who has a perfect plan, placed you in a specific place, with a specific role, for a specific purpose, for a specific time. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts I have toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end. We each have role and a purpose for the harvest.

We can’t all be millionaires and, honestly, would we really use that wealth to better the Kingdom? First a house, then the car, then a vacation (I deserve this Lord, I’ve worked so hard…) All the while, God has provided each of us the tools to make a difference in our own way (in His Will).

Galatians 6:4-5 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Some get a hammer and chisel, some a voice or instrument, others a pen or keyboard. We each have the ability to affect the lives of those around us, hopefully in Godly way.

So instead of pining about how more effective we would be if God just gave us the money, a different talent, or a larger platform, we should put our effort into doing what we can with what we already have. You may not be the biggest tither in your church but can you teach a Bible study? You may not be able to sing but can you open a door with a smile as a visitor steps into your church?

One additional thing I take from that story is that every new step in power the stone cutter made, he only made negative impacts on the lives of those he encountered. No matter what we are doing for God or just going about our day we need to make sure we leave a positive impression on those we come in contact with. It’s hard to tell others about the joy of the Lord with a sour expression on our face. Or of His goodness when we’re griping and complaining with the preceding breath.

If God has called you to be a stone cutter, strive to be the best stone cutter you can be. Do your work, do it joyfully, do it wisely and watch God give the increase. Like in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, I want to hear my Lord say “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

1 Kings 18:43-45 “And he said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And He went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, go again seven times. (44) And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. (45) And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was great rain…”

Imagine trudging up a mountain seven times looking for the promised rain – abundant rain – and seeing nothing six times. Then on the seventh seeing a cloud, but only the size of your hand. It would be hard to see abundant rain in a cloud so small.

Would you question the man of God? Would you discount the cloud? Would your faith be enough to recognize the provision of God, even in something so small?

Both Elijah and his servant recognized the potential of that cloud. Little is much, when God is in it. Life’s greatest victories have the humblest beginnings.

• Gideon’s army of 300 victorious over the Midianites
• A smooth stone took down a giant and liberated a nation.
• A little meal and oil fed a prophet, a widow, and her son.
• A little boy’s lunch fed 5,000 people.
• The touch of a garment healed the woman with the issue of blood.

Jesus told us that faith as small as a mustard seed (Have you ever seen one? it’s tiny!) could move mountains. If God has given you a promise, hold onto it, praying, searching, but don’t disregard that small cloud on your horizon, it could be the humble beginnings of the answer God is sending your way.

As the Elijah’s servant is speaking to Ahab, the sky grew dark, the wind began to blow, storm clouds that had grown from that hand size cloud now covered the sky. The Abundant Rain that God had promised but it came in storm. Trees may have been blown over, a fence or barn damaged, roads may have been washed out. The storm brought not only rain but damage, destruction, inconvenience, aggravation. Someone may have spent the next day repairing a fence, clearing trees & debris, fixing a road or gathering scattered flocks.

But God kept His promise: He sent rain. A grateful farmer spent the day preparing the plow, gathering seed, harnessing the oxen. The owner of the vineyard worked the soil around the roots of the plants that had long ago dried up. A shepherd moved his thirsty flock to a now flowing stream or river. Cisterns and wells were cleaned and filled.

When faced with a storm on our horizon, how often do we begin to beseech heaven for deliverance? As our life begins to be buffeted by wind, our daily habits and routines upset by rain, how often do we ask God, “Why? Why are we in this storm?”. Could it be, that the storm is exactly the thing we so desperately need? Can you find the blessing in the storm? When it’s the rain that waters the fields of our hearts, refreshes our minds, and quenches the thirst of the flock, why are we so quick to desire the sunshine again?

If you find yourself in the midst of a storm – the sky is black, wind howling, rain falling – have faith. God knows where you are, He is the master of the storm and it may be His master plan for you to endure it. So sing in the rain, have faith God will bring you through and you will be all the better for it. It may not be the answer we imagined, but He knows. So let go and let God…

Yesterday was just one of those days… Everything seemed to be more difficult than it needed to be at work. When I tried to avoid getting messy, I only got messier. Work just seemed more “work” than usual and I was frustrated.

I knew the day was rough on my wife, Michele, as well. With a 18 month at home who seems to have a knack for getting into everything and just seems allergic order and prefers chaos to our 4 year old who thinks mommy needs to be serenaded with “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” every ten minutes. At 38 weeks along with our daughter, keeping up with two very active boys can be a struggle (you do a fantastic job honey).

So coming home later than I wanted to, I missed Jacks getting off the bus (if you’re having a bad day just come watch this kid get off the bus, it will brighten your day) and knowing I needed to help get the boys ready for church as Michele was leaving soon for praise practice, I was focused on dinner and a shower.

Life had other ideas though, as Michele informed me, “The dryer isn’t working.” Great… the knob had broken off earlier that day so I hoped that was all it was. I grabbed a pair of pliers, turned the knob to the proper setting and hit the start button. Nothing. Fantastic. I checked the breaker, the dryer plug at the outlet, going into the control panel, nothing, no dryer.

Frustrated, I threw my pliers at the work bench, and stormed back into the house. Stupid thing is broken I reported to my wife. Both of us felt a weight settle on our shoulders. Here’s yet another thing to fix/replace, both of which will cost money.

I got to church with a distracted mind, settled into the pew and halfheartedly listened to our praise team sing. The worry over how we are going to fix the stupid dryer, what we were going to do with all the dirty clothes in the meantime consumed my mind.

Then a still small voice spoke to me. “Am I not Great, just because your dryer isn’t working? Have I not provided for you? Am I not worthy of your praise simply because you had a bad day?” The gentle rebuke of a loving Father brought my mind out of the gloom it was mired in.

I stood up and began to be an active participant in worship. Why? Because God is good, all the time, and all the time, He is good. Long before our dryer had its issues, He provided. Long before I struggled through the day, He died for my sins, filled me with the Holy Ghost, gave me a beautiful wife, two amazing kids, put a roof over our heads and food in our pantry.

How easy it is to let the distractions of life take our mind of the amazing God that loves us. He is good, He is great, and He deserves great praise. Clearing all the worry from my mind, I lifted up my hands, my voice, and my praise to the One who deserves everything I could give. In that moment, when I praised despite my circumstances, when I worshiped in spite of problems, when I recognized that Great is the Lord, He poured His love into my heart. He lifted me up, He strengthened my soul.

Basking in the presence of God is so amazing. It reminds me that no matter how big or small our problems seem to Him, He cares for us. When you focus on Him, everything else will fade away and what seemed so big will become as nothing when compared to the Greatness that is our God.

When I got home, my wife asked me to take one more look at the dryer. This time, I opened the door and saw that a corner of a towel was stuck in the door that was preventing the safety switch from connecting to allow the dryer to start. Our laundry pile diminished as we washed and dried our clothes, and the insurmountable burden of everyday life was now a task completed.
Because HE is Good, All the Time.

Heeding the call of God to write and put that writing out there for others to see is a scary venture for me, but I believe that He has given me this burden and I will do the best I can for Him.  Come along with me as I write what I feel He has asked of me: being a father; a Christian; a man of God.

Thanks for joining me!

“The best is yet to come…” John Avery Whitaker