A Natural Bent

I firmly belive God puts people on this earth for a purpose. Granted many never submit to God or His purposes. Some submit to God but never discover their purpose. It is true gift when God reveals what a person was born to do. Such people are able to live life with purpose and passion. It is a true gift.

Some students are gifted in mathematics. Others excel in science. Another group shows a propensity toward English. Some are gifted in athletics and others in music. Each person has a natural bent.

I think of my four boys. In some ways they are similar but in other ways they are unique. They each have their own natural bents. My job as a father is to help to discover that natural bent and prayerfully steer them to discover their God ordained purpose.

Taylor discovered that purpose as a high school junior. He knew back then he wanted to coach and to teach history. He is studying to teach history and coach at Howard Payne University. Tanner mentioned the other night he thought about teaching English and coaching but he is not settled. The other two have not discovered their purpose or natural bent.

The educational requirements of junior high demanded I take typing in the ninth grade. I actually learned to type on an old fashioned manual typewriter with a manual lever. I hated it at the time. My fingers moved clumsily over the keyboard. I had difficulty remembering where to put my fingers to start and which fingers were supposed to hit which keys. Grades were determined by how many words you could type a minute and how accurate you were able to type. Typing was not my natural bent. I did not excel in those classes. Nor did I excel in wood shop. I barely passed that class while other guys around me excelled. I do not have a mechanical bent.

 I use a keyboard almost everyday. Writing is my natural bent. Typing seems like second nature to me now days. I'm at ease writing short stories, essays, devotions, books, and poetry. People have often commented they do not know how I ever write books. It is my God given natural bent. I do not know how people repair car engines or lawn mowers. Nothing frustrates me more than trying to work with tools in my hands. Brenda jokes when she sees me with tools in my hands she starts praying. The phrase, "Some assembly required," has gotten the best of me on many Christmas mornings. I am not a carpenter or a mechanic. Those are not my natural bents and I stand in awe of those gifted in those areas. It fascinates that people can repair machines or construct things from wood. Those are things I could never do. I do not feel at home in the hardware store. I am like a fish out of water. Now, take me to library and a bookstore and I feel perfect home surrounded by books.

What is your bent? What did God create you to do? Teach? Farm? Business? Invent? Mechanic? Medicine? Pharmacist? Lawyer? Accountant? Baker? I am convinced you will never feel more alive than when you are doing what you were created to do. What were you meant to do? So what is your God given natural bent? It is your responsibility to discover it and fulfill your God ordained purpose.