This summer I am in a strange place of re-evaluating my life and dreams and goals. I enjoyed four precious years as an elementary music teacher, but this past spring, due to licensing issues (I didn’t have the full license and had been hired on a variance), I lost my job as a teacher. So these past weeks have been full of soul-searching, job hunting, and processing my sadness from having to leave all those kiddos that I love so dearly. Yesterday I finally sat on the floor and read through all the homemade cards and love notes and just plain sobbed my heart out. I know God has something else ahead for me… I just don’t know what it is yet.
The past weeks have been an interesting journey as I feel like life is a blank slate and anything is possible. (Which is a bit overwhelming.) All God has said to me so far is, “Don’t limit Me.” But all I feel are limits: limits in my geographical location, limits in my degree and resume, limits in my age and abilities.
But God is bigger than this.
“Don’t limit Me.”
I have applied for a number of positions, had some phone interviews, some in-person interviews… So far, all dead ends. BUT…
BUT… each potential job is like a cracked-open window. Each small crack opens my mind and heart to new possibilities. When I started this journey, my outlook was so very tiny. With each new idea, my world grows just a little. I am thankful for every conversation and lead, even if they don’t end up in that specific job, because they lead to a new understanding and open up the possibilities just a little. One step at a time.
Ecclesiastes 3:13 “…that everyone should…take pleasure in all their toil – this is God’s gift to mankind.”
Isn’t that the dream, though?! To LOVE what you do…
Let’s dissect this phrase “take pleasure in toil…”
רָאָה (ra’ah) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider, observe, give attention to, look intently at
טוֹב (towb) good, pleasant, agreeable, excellent, valuable, glad, happy, prosperous
עָמָל (‘amal) toil, labor
SO…
I find it interesting that these Hebrew words take another angle than the ESV translation first implied. It’s more than just “take pleasure in toil.”
It’s more about consciously FINDING the pleasure.
This could be translated these ways…
-look (intently) at the good
-see what is pleasant
-consider what is valuable
-give attention to what is excellent
Etc.
Oy.
I needed this today.
Maybe you do too.
It takes effort to see the good sometimes.
But it is always worth it.
See the good. “This is God’s gift.”
Jumping to Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (NIV)
As each window cracks open just a bit, leading to the next idea, I’m praying I can see the good, notice the excellent, and consider the valuable in each circumstance as I trust God to one day open one window fully, wide open, and clearly tell me to step through it.
Thanks for going on this mind journey with me.
May you look for and find the pleasure in your toil today.