Thrive in College & Career (15)

Bravely step out of comfort zone in the Lord

Everyone has gifts from God. This is a blessing for God gives us gifts to serve one another. As an added benefit, we can also apply the gifts God gives us in our school and careers. So how should we use our gifts in our journey of college and career? What should we do and what should we not do? Often we are defined by the decisions we make. Let’s see what the Bible teaches us.

Moses received a lot of knowledge and training in Egypt, but when God asked him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, he did not say yes immediately because he knew that he had been a shepherd for forty years and had no eloquence. However, because this was God’s will, God said to him: “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say” (Exodus 4:12). Later, he not only became a leader, but also a great leader, leading the Israelites out of Egypt. It was because he believed in God, stepped out of his comfort zone, and did not rely solely on his original talents or gifts. And God gave him more gifts: eloquence, leadership, and most importantly, the ability to learn. He learned to be humble, strong, and forgiving. If we hold on to the gifts God has given us in our college and career, and think that we can only work in industries or fields related to our original gifts, but are unwilling to think outside the box and see what opportunities God has given us to learn and grow, it means that we choose to stay in our comfort zone. In this case, we may soon outgrow our current positions, and we may also miss better opportunities in our school and careers, and it would be harder to distinguish ourselves from others. The biggest opportunity for us to learn and grow is in our area of weakness.

If we don’t bravely step out of our comfort zone, the next thing that is likely to happen is that we will max out on our current gifts while leaving underdeveloped areas stunted to the point it overrides our strengths.

There is a sister in the church. She is very good at painting, and one of her paintings is even collected in a museum. When she was in college, she saw the daily life of senior students in the art school, who often looked at naked live models during class and painted. She soon realized that this would have a great impact on her spiritual life, so she refused to pursue this path and did not continue to develop her gift of painting. Even though the school offered her a full scholarship, it did not entice her because she knew that she could not yield to temptation over time. Later, God continued to bless her and opened up other ways for her in her college and career. This really fulfilled the verse: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33).

If we only focus on developing our gifts and fail to see how doing so may have a negative impact on us, especially on our spiritual life, it will really be a loss. We need to remind ourselves to always return to the Bible, return to God, and see what God wants us to do. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

“Let us search out and examine our ways, and return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40). No matter what our circumstances are in life, work, or school, we must be determined to seek God, return to God, and be good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Come and learn more about the Doctrine through bible study, sermons and fellowship and grow in your spiritual courage, wisdom and strength to decide wisely. We warmly welcome you to our upcoming Spring Evangelical Service and Spiritual Convocation (ESSC). You can also join us for the Spring 2025 ESSC via online streaming.

Thursday, April 17,2025 6:50PM to 8:10PM
Friday and Saturday, April 18-19, 2025 9:00AM to 8:10PM
Sunday, April 20, 2025 9:00AM to 1:00PM

Complimentary lunch and dinner will be served.

Please find our church location below:
True Jesus Church
4N550 Church Road
Bensenville, IL 60106
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In the meantime, please feel free to join us for our regular Sabbath (Friday evening and Saturday) services online or in-person.

Friday Evening Service: 7:50PM – 9:00PM
Saturday Morning Service: 10:50AM – 12:00Noon
Saturday Afternoon Service: 1:30PM – 2:40PM

Email us at ilovejesus@tjc-chicago.org