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A few years ago I heard a statement from a retired Gospel singer, that left me quite surprised. When this individual retired from full time traveling, he was asked a question about whether or not he felt guilty leaving his calling. His response was that God never called him to sing in the first place, so he had no feelings of guilt about walking away from it. I didn't like that statement when I heard it. But the more I thought about it, the more I saw the wisdom in it. He should have no guilt about walking away from something that was never in God's plan for him. Singing the Gospel and ministering the Gospel are very different.

I am quite aware that a lot of time has been invested on this website debating the issue of Ministry vs. Entertainment. That is not what this article is about.

People who are talented at several things usually have quite a problem deciding what they should do for God's kingdom. If they attempt to do things for God in an area that the Holy Spirit has not called them to do, then it will be of little effect.

Romans 8:28 says "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called, according to His purpose". So that tells us without doubt that we are called according to His PURPOSE, and not according to our TALENT.

Talent is like Justice. It is blind. Talent will seek all opportunity the same, wherever it can be found. Talent doesn't care if it is singing "How Great Is Our God" or "Mama's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys". Talent seeks the highest platform it can find in order to display itself. But in Ministry, there has to be sense of God's purpose to direct you where you should go. You cannot rely on talent alone.

Sometimes God will call you to minister in an area where you are talented. Sometimes the opposite is true. But He will always call you according to His Purpose.

Several years ago I heard Gloria Gaither speaking at a music seminar. She talked about her education and abilities, and how she planned as a teen aged girl to use those for the Lord in missionary work. Then a strange thing happened. God began to call her to a Singing Ministry. She resisted the call strongly. Singing was not one of her talents, or even a desire. When she did give in to the idea of standing on stage and singing, she refused to record with the Bill Gaither Trio. Their early albums have another singer singing her part. She struggled with the idea that people would think she was dumb and ignorant. This was a very troubling thought to a well educated woman. She assumed people would think that she didn't know any better than to think that she was a great singer. She knew that she wasn't. Yet God had a purpose that transcended her lack of singing ability. But the purpose of her calling would not go away, and eventually, she surrendered to even singing on the records that the Bill Gaither Trio were making.
Because of her surrender to that calling of Music Ministry, she began to focus her writing talents in the area of Lyric writing, rather than poetry. God already knew that she would pen the lyrics to songs like BECAUSE HE LIVES, IT IS FINISHED, and I'VE JUST SEEN JESUS.

If you are a talented writer, you may feel very comfortable taking your talents into the secular arena. There is nothing wrong with that. God may have another area of ministry for you to pursue. But if you have been called to use your writing with a divine purpose , then there are some things that you will not do, because they will defeat God's purpose in your life. Your talent may allow you opportunities that can take you to a secular platform of excellence. But purpose will keep you focused on what God would have you to do. If you have been called according to God's purpose, then you should focus the development of your talent as it relates to that purpose.

Until next time, keep on writing!

Daryl Williams
http://www.darylwilliamstrio.net

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