A couple days ago I was pondering the fact that for most of my life there’s been an underlying sense of dissatisfaction. I could never escape the feeling that something was missing, out of order or just not right. Of course it was never difficult to find maybe 30 to 52 areas that needed changing. But success eluded my best efforts, and when transformation in an area occurred it was something Christ did after I gave up and simply yielded to him.
Still, the dissatisfaction remained. At times I concluded it was a godly thing, a longing for more of him and the coming manifestation of the sons of God. Heavy stuff. And yes, we do “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” And yes, we can easily get distracted by present circumstances from the confident expectation of glory that keeps our emotions from straying.
But I’m still discovering that the religious system was not the only box I had lived in. I had created other boundaries regarding life in Christ. I believed that if one received all their joy from Christ, they would be fully content. After all, he should be more than enough. What I missed was that a key to fullness is being fully free to be all he’s made you to be in him. That would be an obvious conclusion if one didn’t attempt to separate the “spiritual” from the “natural.” But I did.
Since I was an adolescent I loved to act. Creating animated cartoons using flip books was a favorite pass time as well. I also got a kick out of making people laugh. But when I became involved in “the ministry” those talents were minimized or forgotten for the sake of pursuing “spiritual” things.
But after leaving the system of religious obligation, Bob, Loren and I teamed up to form FRM. Humorous video clips and now the movie Jeff’s World have created opportunities to function in those areas that were previously cast aside. A new freedom and boldness to step out of the box in other situations have presented themselves as well, and in so doing, hearts have been opened to receive in a greater measure.
I realize now that I had buried a talent God has given for his glory and my joy. I had actually suppressed a part of who Christ is in and through me. Those gifts will never be the main focus of what he’s called me to do, but what he’s called me to do would never have been complete as long as they remained dormant.
You may not be “called” to what is typically referred to as “ministry.” But you are unique in all of creation. Being who you are and doing what you love to do will reveal an aspect of Christ’s nature to those around you that no one else can. Your freedom acts as a catalyst to draw others to him and will help to release them into the fullness of all he’s created them to be.
David Fredrickson
