Nugget of the day: Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.Colossians 3:23 What do you want to be when you grow up?  When we were younger, we had dreams of having jobs that looked glamorous or exciting.  Some little boys want to be firemen and baseball players.  Some girls want to be ballerinas and actresses. Our dreams were not based on what we could do for society, but what society could do for us. When we were little, we saw the money, recognition, glory or fun involved in these careers. As we matured, we often ended up with different jobs for different reasons. Maybe we could support a family or help people.  We realize there are good and bad parts of every career choice. Maturity changes how we perceive things. The same is true in our Christian growth. As young Christians, we want to save the world. We tend to think that if we follow God, we will get a free pass to easy street. As we grow in faith, we realize no one has it easy. Doing God’s work is hard. There are lots of rewards, but there is also frustration and trials. These trials are not meant to hinder us.  They are intended to help us grow.  We learn to trust God when we face challenges that our mere mortal selves cannot conquer.  We develop a relationship with God and see Him as a Father, a leader, and a counselor.  As our faith matures, we realize we may not be called to do a glamorous job in growing the body of Christ. It may be a behind the scenes role. We may not even get recognized for our work.  However, God sees our effort. He knows all the sacrifice it takes to do things that may be out of our comfort zone. As Christians, God loves to push us and help us grow and so He will often ask us to do things we never imagined. We should be honored to know God believes in us. My prayer tonight is that we realize God has a plan for our lives. Our jobs may not be the glamorous jobs we dreamed of as young children, but they are handpicked for us by God. God knows where our skills and talents are needed to further His Kingdom. I pray we see our trials and challenges as opportunities to grow in faith and draw nearer to God. Tonight take the time to appreciate the role God has assigned you.  Make a vow to God to give your best effort and to do your work in His name.  Every day we encounter people who need hope, are lost or troubled. We can be a bright spot, and we may be the one that leads them to Christ. What an honor that God handpicks us to do work in His name. Let’s make sure we give Him our best effort.  God deserves the best workers.  We will one day reap our reward when we live in His Kingdom.