What are you thankful for? As I started to reflect on this inevitable question through a Crossroads Career lens, I thought I would take a little different angle on how we might answer that question.
Our Crossroads Career approach is grounded on love. First, loving God completely. Second, loving ourselves correctly, and third, loving others compassionately.
So, this week, are you loving yourself correctly? Are you thankful / grateful for who God made you to be?
Scripturally, we know this is incredibly important for several reasons. We see in Genesis 1:27, “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” We also know from Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
So, immediately I can be grateful that I’m created in His image, and in Christ Jesus, He’s created me to do good works!
BUT, there’s more than that! Each of us are created uniquely with different gifts, skills, abilities, experiences, values, and personalities. Simply put, there is no one else in the world like you!!
Questions: Do I fully recognize that? Am I truly grateful for that?
Over and over again, I find that in personal career guidance with job seekers, I see them NOT fully recognizing themselves as a unique creation, let alone seeing the potential that God has bestowed upon them. And of course, if they don’t recognize it, they can’t be grateful for it.
Application? I encourage you to take a few minutes this Thanksgiving week and write down the attributes you possess that make you YOU! 🙂 We cover this in our Crossroads Career Step #3, Aptitude, in our website resources if you’d like some structure for it. Once you do this, shift into a prayer of praise for who God made you to be. There’s no one else like you, and He’s got a purpose for you that no one else can fill. Let’s love ourselves correctly…and give Him the glory and praise for His creation!
Dave Sparkman currently serves as the volunteer Crossroads Career board chair and local ministry leader. He is also the founder and managing director of Spark Your Culture, a corporate culture consulting firm. Prior to that he worked at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune #5 public company, serving in the role of Chief Culture Officer. His unemployment experience came from the implosion of Arthur Andersen, where he served as the West Region Managing Partner, People.
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I find it difficult to love myself. I do many things for others and serve in many ways but I don’t believe God thinks much of me. I am too ordinary to be useful and have not been able
to accomplish enough to be noticed. Even though I try to use my gifts I feel a great sense of emptiness.
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Hi Gayle – I think many of us can relate to how you feel. But the bible is so clear that we are all made in God’s image and that we are all needed and valuable. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 is a good place to read more about how all of our gifts are needed to work together and make the church. Love, Becca